Helena's Obit.

Harriet Helena Saxby Gervais McCullough, who was always called Helena, was born on September 13, 1909 in Rockford, Illinois. Her father was Samuel Valentine Saxby, who had immigrated as a young man to the United States from Sevenoaks, Kent in England. Her mother was Jane Weyburn, the younger daughter of Lewis Augustus Weyburn and Helena Jilson Weyburn. This grandfather had moved to Rockford from New York state, and his wife was a Rockford native. Valentine and Jane Saxby were married in 1901 in Rockford. Helena was their third child. Her older brothers were Lewis Weyburn Saxby and Robert Kerr Saxby, both also born in Rockford.

Jane's older sister, Blanche Weyburn, had married Robert Kerr of Oak Park, Illinois, in 1896. They resided at 113 S. Elmwood in Oak Park. Robert (Bert or Papa Tio) and Blanche Kerr (Tia) did not have children. When Helena's parents separated in 1909 (finally divorcing in 1912), her mother Jane moved to Oak Park with her three children to live with Bert and Blanche Kerr. In order to have a larger house, Bert Kerr had traded his house at 113 S. Elmwood with his parents' home at 150 N. Elmwood. Helena was only two months old when she came to Oak Park and to the N. Elmwood house. Her Weyburn grandparents moved from Rockford to Oak Park along with their daughter, living first in the Elmwood apartments on Lake St., just a few doors south of 150 N. Elmwood. When they were no longer able to live alone, they too moved into the Kerr house, where they lived until their deaths.

The two sisters, Blanche Kerr and Jane Saxby, were left on their own to sustain a large home and three children. Jane, who had attended the University of Chicago to study music, worked with her sister to do interior decorating. She also worked in as a secretary in downtown Chicago. Blanche sold the lots on either side of 150 N. Elmwood in order to pay off its mortgage. And, to make ends meet they took in borders. One of those borders was Jane McCullough, the mother of Helenas second husband Hiram McCullough. Hiram and Helena had dated in Oak Park while working after college, and it was he who took Helenas wedding picture at home in 1935. Meanwhile, Helenas own mother had died suddenly just a month before Helenas high school graduation in 1927.

Early Years

Helena went to Beye School (K-8) and Oak Park High School. She graduated in 1927, a week after her mother died of cancer. She was active at the Unitarian-Universalist Church (Unity Temple). She went to dancing school in the elementary grades and took piano lessons. She remembers her grandparents listening to music and Grandma Weyburn playing cards. Helena started playing bridge when she was twelve years of age.

Helena attended Rockford College for two years '27-'29. She received funds from Mrs. Seabury, an important Oak Parker, for the first year and her father, Valentine for the second. After going to Moser Business School for a year, she obtained a job at Sears in the time-payment department. She worked there for two-and-a-half years '30-'33. Helena left Sears to work at the Oak Park Trust and Savings Bank in the real estate loan department from '33 until April '36 when she was pregnant with Katherine.

Their son Paul Trapier Gervais also attended Beye School and Oak Park-River Forest High School, class of 1920. His older sister, Katherine Gervais, was a contemporary in Oak Park of Ernest Hemingway. Paul Gervais graduated from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, with a degree in engineering in 1924. He then spent a year studying literature and the humanities at Oxford University in England with his Oak Park friend Dick Hill. They were each pianists, and Hill later became the music librarian at the Library of Congress. Paul was a faithful member at Grace Church and like his father served as senior warden. Most of Pauls professional life was in his fathers business, the Variety Fire Door Company in Chicago. He later became a management consultant and died unexpectedly in 1963. The family used memorial contributions to donate a stained glass window at Grace Church in memory of W.B., Katherine, and Paul Gervais.

Her family at 150 N. Elmwood had a very close relationship with the Gervais family at 160 N. Elmwood because they had been neighbors since Helena was fouryears-old. Jane Saxby, Helena's mother, was close to Mother (Katherine) Gervais. Mother Gervais was married to Wainwright Bacot Gervais; they had two children Kay and Paul Gervais. Kay married Gray Muzzy; they had two children Dick and Joan (Jody).

All along, she had been growing up with the proverbial boy next door, Paul Gervais. He had been born in Chicago in 1903, and in 1913 his parents built the family home at 160 N. Elmwood, at that time next door to 150. His parents were Wainwright Bacot Gervais and Katherine Lebby Gervais, both originating in Charleston, South Carolina. The Gervais family were faithful members of Grace Episcopal Church, with W.B. serving as chief warden. He and his wife gave the statue of the Madonna in the Childrens Corner in thanksgiving for their son Pauls recovery from cranial surgery for osteomyelitis in 1927. Meanwhile, at the suggestion of Charles White, W.B. Gervais bought the large Victorian home at 201 Linden Ave. as investment property. White supervised its coversion into a two-flat. W.B. Gervais later sold 160 N. Elmwood and moved into the first floor at 201 Linden to accomodate his wifes impairment from a stroke. They died while living there, she in [?] and he in [?].

In 1935 Helena married Paul Trapier Gervais, the man next door. The wedding was at the Unititarian-Universalist Church; Fr. Holt from Grace Epsicopal Church officiated. Hiram McCullough, a friend from Sears, was an usher at the wedding.

Marriage to Paul Trapier Gervais

After Paul and Helena were married on April 22, 1935, they moved into the Elmwood Apartments, right around the corner from 150 N. Elmwood. Across the hail were Paul's parents, Papa and Nana (Wainwright and Katherine). They sold their home at 160 N. Elmwood. On August 3, 1936 Katherine Gervais was born to Paul and Helena. Hiram McCullough stayed at Sears until after he married Jane over the Labor Day weekend in '35. Previously he was taking care of his mother and living on the west side of Chicago. His mother moved into an apartment at 150 N. Elmwood, and he and Jane moved into an apartment on Randolph Street in Forest Park. Helena was envious of them because they had a bedroom. John McCullough was born in July '36. When Jane was pregnant with Anne, the McCulloughs moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana and later to Williamsport, Pa. where Jane had grown up. There was no communication between Helena and the McCulloughs for over thirty years. However, when the family came to Chicago to celebrate Mac's uncle's 90th birthday, Jane called Helena.

In March 1939 Nana suffered a stroke. Fortunately, she and Papa were able to move into the first-floor apartment of a house at 201 Linden Avenue in Oak Park which he had purchased for an investment in 1919. A month after Katherine's third birthday Nana died, months before Paul and Helena had their second child, Paul Jr., on January 1, 1940. Subsequently, Paul and Helena moved from their apartment on Lake Street to the first-floor apartment at 201 Linden Avenue to be with Papa. On April 18, 1944 their third child and second son was born: John Weyburn Gervais. Papa died January 15, 1948.

During the summer of 1956 the entire family went to Europe. After a nineday voyage on the Noordam they visited the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. They spent five weeks in Italy and went to Greece for two weeks. They drove back through Italy and France where they turned in their Simca. After a brief time in London, they flew home.

Helena and Paul had another trip together -- to England with Jan Duncan for the month of September in 1962. During this time Paul showed Helena Oxford where he had spent a year with Dick Hill after he had earned his mechanical engineering degree at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

Paul died unexpectedly of a heart attack on Katherine's birthday in 1963. Helena had a Gervais window created in glass by Willet Stained Glass Studios in Philadelphia. This clerestory window in the west wall of the chancel of Grace Episcopal Church in Oak Park was dedicated on June 20, 1965 in memory of Wainwright Bacot Gervais (1859-1948), Katherine Gratton Gervais (1870-1939) and Paul Trapier Gervais (1903-1963).

Having grown up in the Unitarian-Universalist congregation at Unity Temple, Helena maintained her ties there. After her husbands death in 1963 she worked as the parttime office assistant to its minister, Bob Rice. In that capacity she gave spontaneous tours of the building to the many people who walked in and wondered about it. She used a script and a tape prepared by John Michaels. Meanwhile, her longtime friend Marion Rawls Herzog came to live with Helena at 201 Linden. Marion had been a librarian at the Burnham Architectural Library at the Art Institute, the founding librarian for United Airlines, and a librarian at the Oak Park Public Library. Marions uncle Ralph Skillen had been on the congragation's building committee for Unity Temple, and Marion became a founder of the Unity Temple Restoration Foundation in 1974. In 1969 the two women hosted Lloyd Wright at 201 Linden during one of his early visits to Oak Park to consult on the preservation and restoration of the Temple. The two women travelled to Minnesota to visit Grant Manson, the author of Frank Lloyd Wright: The First Twenty Years[?] and return with his reseach materials for preservation in Oak Park. In 1972-3 Helena, Elsie Jacobsen, and others put together the first architectural tour of private Frank Lloyd Wright homes in Oak Park, a tour that included Unity Temple. A version of that tour was then continued each year by the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Foundation as Wright Plus, its major fundraising effort at the time. Helena was also a life member of the Home and Studio Foundation.

National and international travel were among Helenas favorite activities. Paul, Helena, and the three children took several extensive trips in the United States. In 1956 they made a seventy-day excursion throughout Europe. In 1962 Paul, Helena, and their friend Jan Duncan made a trip to England. After Pauls death in 1963 Helena went on a Caribbean cruise with her sister-in-law, Katherine Gervais Muzzy. In 1964 she returned to Europe for six weeks with her son John, who a college student at the time. In late 1960s she went on three international trips sponsored by the Asculapius Club of local doctors. These trips included one to Spain, Portugal, Sicily, and Morocco; one to Asia; and one to South America. In the early 1970s she and her friend Ruth McCarter spent four months on an opera and theater tour in Europe. And, in 1973 she took her grandson Lewis Gervais (her son Pauls oldest child) on a trip to the Holy Land and England.

Life Between Marriages

In May 1960 Helena's and Paul's son Paul married Glynne Thomas. Paul was alive to enjoy the first grandchild, Lewis John Gervais, who was born December 8, 1960. When Paul died, Glynne was pregnant with Michelle, who was born on January 15, 1963. A second daughter and third child, Adrienne Marie Gervais, was born on August 18, 1965. Being with her children and grandchildren was important to Helena at this time.

Helena's and Paul's other two offspring married later. Katherine married Robert Trezevant on August 27, 1966 in Swarthmore, PA. A year later John married Jane Beers in York, PA. John Warren Trezevant was born to Robert and Katherine on July 12, 1969. On December 17, 1971 Suzanne Gervais Trezevant was born to Bob and Katherine. The Trezevant family lived in Malvern, PA until the summer of 1977.

Meanwhile, John and Jane moved from Chicago to Seven Valleys, PA where her family owned property in the country. On December 26, 1972 Paul Bacot Gervais was born. On June 29, 1974 Danielle Gervais was born.

Helena's family, friends and traveling kept Helena busy. She had three wonderful trips with Kay Muzzy: two to Jamaica and a Caribbean cruise. In 1964 after her son John's sophomore year at Bucknell University, she and he took an eight-week trip to Europe. She went on a trip to the Orient with the Aesculapius Club in '65. With the same group she also went to South America, Portugal and Spain, and Sicily. When her grandson Lewis Gervais was thirteen in 1973, she took him on a trip which included a two-week Mediterranean cruise, tours using Edinburgh as a base and a week in London. In addition she went to Europe with Ruth McCarter for four months. Her focus was opera and Ruth's was theater.

Marriage to Hiram McCullough

Life changed dramatically for Helena in 1974. That year she married Hiram Groom McCullough, whom she had met when they were both employed at Sears. Hiram had grown up in Evanston and graduated from Princeton in 1927. In 1935 he had been an usher at Helena and Pauls wedding at Unity Temple, and he took her wedding photograph of her at home at 150 N. Elmwood. Hiram later married and settled in Williamsport, PA, where he was in the lumber business. After his wifes death Hiram and Helena were married in Oak Park at Grace Episcopal Church. They lived for several years in Williamsport and then returned to Oak Park. During their nine years together they made three trips to Europe, a tour of the continent, a trip to France, and a trip to England. Hiram and Helana both enjoyed there combined and extended families.

Although Hiram and Helena knew each other before Helena married Paul and Hiram married Jane, there was no communication between Helena and Jane and Hiram McCullough for over thirty years. When Jane died, she and Hiram were living in Montoursville, PA. Their older child John had married Baila, and they had a young daughter Mia. Of course, Hiram gave Mia a Princeton shirt when she was very young. His daughter Anne married Jack Pettit, and they had two children John and Jenny. Hiram made sure his grandchildren attended Princeton reunions. Anne and Jack and their family lived outside of Washington, D.C., near John's and Anne's cousin Jeanne Jarvis and her two children David and Anne. Hiram joined them for family parties. Hiram not only visited Helena when he checked on his ailing Uncle Groome in Chicago but also when she came to Pennsylvania to visit the Trezevants in Malvern. Malvern was a handy location for them: Hiram could drive down from Montoursville, they could visit the dogwoods in Valley Forge, and they could drive up to Princeton for dinner. Hiram liked to drive and they had many pleasant car trips together.

They were married in Oak Park on Saturday, January 5, 1974. The Trezevants were able to see Katherine's brother Paul and his family in their home at 238 So. Elmwood. The wedding was at 4:00 in the afternoon. Katherine was the matron of honor and John McCullough was the best man. The reception was at 201 and a grand time was had by all.

Helena and Mac settled in his home in Montoursville where Helena became active in the local Episcopal church and the garden club and met neighbors and friends of the McCulloughs. Helena's friends from Oak Park occasionally came to visit her and play bridge. The Trezevants and John McCullough and his family once visited at the same time.

1976 was a big year for the country and for Mac, since it was the fiftieth anniversary of his graduation from Princeton University. Katherine also celebrated her fortieth birthday. The family gathered at Princeton to help Mac celebrate in early June. Paul and Glynne Gervais came from Oak Park and John and Jane drove up from PA. The next day many gathered in Malvern for the festivities there. In August there was another family gathering. John and his family, John Pettit, and Lew and Katie Saxby saw the sights of Philadelphia as they honored Katherine on her birthday. Warren and Sue dressed in the bicentennial garb several times that year.

Family visits and gatherings, Princeton reunions and visits with friends were all important to Mac and Helena. In addition they traveled to Europe three times. Sometimes they attended Princeton reunions twice a year up and down the eastern coast. They also joined Kay Muzzy and Jody Lerchen in Charleston, South Carolina

In 1977 the Trezevants moved from Malvern to 201. Marion Herzog stayed in Helena's downstairs apartment and was present when Warren and Sue left for their first day of school. The McCulloughs continued to visit. In 1979 the family gathered at the Trezevants for Helena 70th birthday. In 1980 the McCulloughs with Hiram's dog Tuffy moved from Pennsylvania to 201. Although Mac died in August 1982, the family continues to visit and enjoy gatherings.

After Mac's Death

After Hirams death in 1982 Helena made one more trip to Europe, this time with her daughter Katherine. It was a three-week visit to England in 1985, which focused on Saxby family relatives with whom she had corresponded. Helenas father, Samual Valentine Saxby, was the oldest child in a large family and was the only one to emigrate from England to America. Helena got to spend time with eight first cousins and two aunts whom she had never met. The trip proved to be the grand culmination to almost 30 years of international travel.

In June 1985 Helena and Katherine flew to England to visit Joan Switzer, a first cousin. Helena's father, Samuel Valentine Saxby, the oldest of ten children, set sail from Liverpool June 6, 1896, with a "desire for adventure and life in a new world." In 1950 he fulfilled a great dream by bringing the Saxby family together in England. On June 22, 1985 Joan Switzer and her friend Kathleen hosted a reunion to welcome Val's daughter from America. Only two of Val's sisters were still alive, but they were both present -- Polly (Marianne 97) and Ivy (92). Besides Helena and Joan, there were seven other first cousins, among them David Saxby. Four of Val's sister Hope's offspring were there -- the first time they had been together since before World War II. Helena's and Katherine's visit set off a string of other visits -- by Lew Saxby and his family and the Trezevants.

Family has always been important to Helena, and birthday celebrations have been a time to encourage family to be together. In 1989 she hosted a big luncheon at the Nineteenth Century Women's Club for her eightieth birthday. In 1994 Helena celebrated her 85th birthday. The focus of that event was her Aunt Tia's paintings. Family members were invited to select what they wanted for their own. How different from the 90th which will bring together forty-seven family members.

Weddings also provided a time for the family to gather. Helena went to Castle Park, Michigan, for the wedding of a daughter of her nephew Dick Muzzy. In January 1994 Lewis Gervais married Gina Moser. They have two children, Helena's only great-grandchildren -- Keegan (b. March '96) and Gabrielle Marie (b. August '98).

Hiram's two granddaughters were married in 1996 and Helena made it to both weddings, one on Macmac Island in Michigan and the other in Maryland. Although Helena did not use a wheelchair in the house then, she appreciated having one on the island. Mia McCullough married John Mooney, and Jenny Pettit married Jeff Van West.

Cousins enjoyed being together whether Helena was present or not. In 1994 Jane Saxby Primrose, Lew's younger daughter, hosted a gathering of cousins. When she met Warren Trezevant and Lewis Gervais at the train station near Walnut Creek, California, she met Lewis and said, "We have the same great-grandfather." On Jane's deck near her pool Warren later talked with Sue Hutchinson, Lew Saxby's sister, and Gina.

When Warren Trezevant moved to San Francisco, he met many of the Saxby relatives who live in California. Also, he was happy to host relatives from the rest of the country. Danielle Gervais and Oscar Sodani stayed with Warren at his Noe Valley apartment.

Helena was delighted when some California relatives moved to the midwest. Dell Hutchinson moved to the Detroit area with his wife Sandi and son Thomas in 1998. They have visited here with Dell's mother Sue. Thomas has a delightful relationship with Bob Trezevant, his "Buddy Bob."

Helena was always active in community organizations. She and Paul were staunch Democrats long before being a Democrat was really acceptable in Oak Park. They joined the Lowell literary group in the 1940s and the River Forest Tennis Club in 1950. She and Hiram joined the Oak Park Country Club in 1973. Helena was a longtime member of the Nineteenth Century Women's Club. She served three two-year terms on its board. She was chair of both the music and social science committees, was the press person, and chair for one year of the scholarship committee. She also served on the board of the Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest and was program chair for one year. And in the midst of all her family, church, social, and cultural commitments she managed to play bridge at least once a week!