Mrs. Helen A. Pepperney

Helen Augusta (Wallach) Pepperney, 96, of Westminster (formerly Sykesville), passed away peacefully at Brightview Senior Living, surrounded by family on Sunday, August 11, 2019. Helen was born July 4, 1923 (our firecracker!) in Pittsburgh, PA, the youngest daughter of Michael and Mary Wallach. She and her husband, childhood sweetheart, Bob, celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary on August 2, 2019. Bob’s transfer by his employer, General Electric, brought the family to Randallstown, MD in 1964. In 1976, they built and enjoyed their dream home in Sykesville, remaining there until a move to Brightview Senior Living in 2015. Helen and Bob were members of St. Joseph Catholic Community, in Eldersburg, and were very involved in many organizations through St. Joseph’s and the community, including the St. Vincent DePaul Society, Liberty Lake Golden Age Club (for over 40 years), both serving as club officers, AARP, Westminster Seniors in Action, and Gingham Four Square Dancers. Bob and Helen enjoyed traveling after Bob’s retirement. Their first trip was to Hawaii for their 25th wedding anniversary, after Bob convinced Helen to overcome her fear of flying, because if she wanted to go to Hawaii, there wasn’t a bridge! Their travels included several more trips to Hawaii as well as, England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Austria, Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Bahamas, California and to Florida many times. Helen was an accomplished seamstress, creating her square-dancing skirts (with a matching kerchief for Bob), as well as other clothing and pleated curtains and bedspreads. She was also a talented artist and her paintings graced the walls of the couple’s homes. Her love of flowers and gardening was inherited from her Dad, Michael, as she always had a beautiful garden, especially her roses. The couple added a greenhouse to their Sykesville home to house the 450 orchids they grew, and which sparked their involvement with the Maryland Orchid Society (Bob serving as President). Helen is survived by her husband, Robert William “Bob” Pepperney of Westminster, daughter Linda Anne McGinn (Littlestown, PA) and companion, Stanley Mertz; Jr., son Robert Michael Pepperney of Stover, MO; grandchildren, Amy Symonds (Mark) of Baltimore, Joshua (Jaime) Clagett of Hampstead, Jesse Clagett of Finksburg; great-grandchildren, Alexander Robert Jones of Baltimore, Logan Joshua Clagett and Ryleigh Nicole Clagett of Hampstead. Also surviving Helen are much loved niece, Mary Anne (Vollmer) Voglewede (husband Tom) of Marion, VA and numerous cherished family and friends. Pre-deceasing Helen were her parents, adored older sister, Mary Wallach Vollmer (husband, Bob), son-in-law, William Francis “Bill” McGinn, and daughter-in-law, Carolyn Pepperney, mother and father-in-law, Rose and Frank Pepperney and much-loved brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and special Aunt, Helen Allen. The family expresses their gratitude to the amazing, caring staff of Brightview Assisted Living and Carroll Hospice for their kindness and attentive care to make Helen’s transition peaceful and full of love. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, August 13, 2019 from 2 to 4 & 6 to 8 pm at Haight Funeral Home & Chapel, 6416 Sykesville Road, Sykesville, MD. A Celebration of Life Mass will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Community, 915 Liberty Road, Eldersburg on Wednesday, August 13, 2019 at 12:30 p.m. Interment will follow in Crest Lawn Memorial Gardens, Marriottsville, MD. Memorial donations may be made to St. Joseph Catholic Community or Carroll Hospice. Please wear bright colors to the funeral Mass, so that when Helen looks down on all of us, she’ll see a garden of flowers.

Mrs. Helen A. Pepperney

July 4, 1923 - August 11, 2019