Obituary of Helen Norden

Helen Marie (Hughes) Norden, formerly a long time resident of Burlington Massachusetts died peacefully in Maine on Sunday, August 18, 2013. The beloved wife of Butch Norden, she was 71 years old. Helen was born in Newton, she was the daughter of the late Henry & Helen Hughes. Helen spent most of her youth and adult life in Burlington, MA and retired in Norway Maine. Helen was a member of the women's championship basketball team in Burlington, Massachusetts which was inducted into the town's athletic hall of fame. She spent over two decades working at Sears and Roebucks at the Burlington Mall as a sales associate. Helen loved to read, knit and cook and made the best turkey dinner on the planet. However, her greatest joy and happiest moments were spent caring for her loving husband of 52 years and raising and supporting her family, both of which she loved more than life itself. She especially loved when all the kids and grandkids would be together for family holidays at Christmas time. Helen was the beloved wife of Butch Norden. She was the Loving mother of Noreen Johnson & her husband George of Mansfield MA, David Norden & his wife Linda of Burlington MA and Jay Norden & his wife Saundra of Belchertown MA. Sister of Hank Hughes & his wife Flo of TX, Rich Hughes & his wife Jan of Tewksbury MA, Patty Melaragni & her husband Jack of NH, and the late Mike Hughes. Sister-in-law of Judy Hughes of Pepperell MA. Proud grandmother of Jay, Emma, Abbey, George, Amy, Bryanna and Tyler. Funeral from the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON MA (Exit 34 off Rt. 128, Woburn side) on Thursday, Aug. 22 at 9 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Margaret’s Church, 111 Winn St., Burlington at 10 a.m. Visiting hours Wednesday 4-8 p.m. Interment in Chestnut Hill Cemetery, Burlington MA. Memorials in Helen’s name may be made to the American Heart Association, 20 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701. Family Remembrance by Jay Our family would like to Thank our extended family, friends and colleagues for the support and kindness they have showed to us. It has provided us with strength and comfort over the last several years. We would also like to thank the caregivers that my mother has had in her life. Most particularly, we would like to thank Fawn, Joline and Sarah whose kindness, compassion and friendship she often spoke of. For the women who took care of our mother over the last six months at the Fryeburg Health Center, I have no words but to say you are angels and the work you do is straight from god. My mother was a simple women with a simple and private faith. She found great strength and joy in receiving communion during her time in Fryeburg and praying with the ladies that visited her there. My mother loved her brothers Hank Mike and Rich very much. She also loved her sister Patty with all her heart. She would keep us all updated on your families and she enjoyed those discussions with each of you. My brother David is a kind and gentle man who has shown his kind and gentle soul to our parents throughout his life and especially over the last several years. Ma loved you, Linda, Bryanna and Tyler with all her heart and was very proud of all your accomplishments. She loved that you were always on the go and continuing the Norden traditions in the house we grew up in. I have told my sister Reenie not to sweat the details this week. What I did not tell her is that it was because she has sweat every detail in our mother's life over the last 7 years. We love and thank you and your family for that. You were Ma's best friend and she loved you so much. Ma also loved George, Georgie and Amy and each time I would see her she would talk about how important they were to her and about each and every event going on in your lives and how proud she was of you. As for my own family Saundra, Jay, Emma and Abbey, She spoke lovingly of you often and got to see you grow into fine young adults. This was a goal for her and she achieved it. As for Saundra she always said that their was only one other women that could put up with me the way she did. She loved you like a daughter. However her deepest love was reserved for my Dad whom she loved more than anything. She loved that you stood by her side for 52 years, but more importantly as her caregiver for the last seven. You showed us all what real strength and courage are all about. My mother was a very bright and wise women. Not book smart, but something much better than that. I have often told friends and colleagues that everything I ever needed to be successful in life I learned from my mother before going to first grade. She supplied sage advice to our family throughout the years and we are now passing that same advice to our families. She believed in letting us make mistakes and picking us back up when when we fell. However when we made big mistakes she made sure to remind us not to ever make that one again. I now call that deep rich Irish guilt that I must admit I have mastered myself. She believed in hard work and never to quit. She showed us that in her work ethic which we try and practice today. My mother was a voracious reader, especially romance novels. She would spend many days out on the porch at the camp or the house devouring book after book. She enjoyed that time to herself very much. She also greatly enjoyed having tea at the dinner table with great, albeit sometimes colorful conversations about the events of the day. Some of the most happy occasions were spent at the dinner table at Ma's house. She was the finest cook I know and made the best Turkey Dinner in the world. Her favorite holiday was Christmas and she was at her happiest when the whole family would gather together to celebrate that special time. She loved to knit and spend time knitting with all of our aunts down at the farm. She loved those times with the ladies. She knit us all these great heavy afghans which we all have in our homes and use to stay warm on cold winter nights. Those afghans used to lay over her lap as she made them with her loving hands. Now each time we cover ourselves we will think of you keeping us warm and protected just like you did through our lives. One last thing for you Ma I got a call from the president of LL Bean this morning and the board of directors is concerned with the future of the company. I told them if anyone can get free shipping from Beans to heaven it is you and they should not worry. So Ma over the last many years I do not know if you realize this but I never said goodbye to you but always See you later. Again I do not say goodbye but See You Later. Later in a place where there is only happiness. I love you.