Helen T. McAneny, 90

November 06, 2016

Helen T. McAneny, 90, of Lancaster, PA, died after a long illness at Willow Valley Communities on November 6, 2016. She was born Nov 16, 1925, in Danville, PA, the fifth and youngest child to the late Alice Trainor Bailey and Suel C. Bailey. She graduated from the Danville High School Class of 1943 and attended the Thompson Business School.

Helen had been employed in her first husband’s (Bill Taylor) insurance agency in Harrisburg, until his death in 1962. At that time, she became employed by the Commonwealth of PA and was secretary to the First Deputy Secretary of Health until she remarried Robert J. McAneny and moved to Wilmington, DE in 1968. She then was employed in the advertising department of the DuPont Company until she retired in 1984.

Throughout the 70s and early 1980s, Helen and Bob spent most of their free-time at their cottage on the Sassafras River in Maryland and a boat on the Chesapeake Bay until they sold them and promptly purchased an Airstream travel trailer in 1983. From 1985 to 2000, they traveled throughout the United States, Canada, Central America, and Europe covering over 200,000 miles in their Airstream. Helen was a former first lady of the Delmarva Unit of WBCCI (the Airstream Club) where her husband served as President. Helen’s Delmarva Unit History Books won awards at International Airstream Rallies. She also enjoyed genealogy, cooking and was active at her parish. She retired with Bob to Willow Street, PA, in 2008 after selling their home on Weldin Road in Wilmington. She was admired by all for her quiet dignity, strength of character and loyal friendship.

Helen was predeceased by her first husband, Willis C. (Bill) Taylor, her stepdaughter Carol Taylor Marcavage, her stepson Gerald V. Taylor, her three sisters: Sara Bailey, Frances B. Mettler, and Annabel B. Jones, her brother Cecil Bailey and by her second husband, Robert J. McAneny who died in 2012.

She is survived by her stepchildren: Robert E., married to Karen McAneny of Tallahassee, FL, Laird P. married to Miriam McAneny of Marietta, GA, Patricia McAneny Hindy married to Joseph Hindy of New York City, NY, and John Taylor of Ft. Worth, TX. Also surviving are three nieces: Karen Mettler Bua and her husband Dominic Bua of Peabody, MA, Celia Bailey Crowley and her husband Andrew of Woodlyn, PA and Judy Jones of Swarthmore, PA, two nephews Neal Mettler and his wife of Ossining, NY and Jeffrey Jones of Swarthmore, many cousins, and good friends. Her great grand nephew Mark O’Neill and his wife Kelly of Lancaster, PA, also mourn her loss.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Requiem Mass for the repose of her soul at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 440 St. Joseph St., Lancaster, PA on Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 10:30AM, with a receiving time prior to Mass from 10-10:30AM. Interment will be in the Odd Fellow Cemetery in Danville, PA on Monday, November 14th at 11AM. Contributions may be made in Helen’s memory to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church Outreach, 4701 Weldin Rd., Wilmington, DE 19803.