Remembering Helen Sargut, our High School Secretary

Obituary for Helen Sargut

Helen Macionis Sargut, 91, currently of Stewartstown Rd., Morgantown and a former longtime resident of Gardner, MA, passed away Tuesday, July 7, 2009, at her residence in Morgantown, WV. Born in Gardner, MA on June 15, 1918, she was the only child of Anna Karuza and Simon Macionis, who had immigrated to Gardner from Lithuania. She was married for 53 years to her husband John J. Sargut who preceded her in death in 2000. She is survived by her only child, Susan Sargut of Waynesburg, PA. She was a graduate of Becker College and had volunteered many years on their 1938 reunion committee. In Massachusetts, she had been a member of the Womenâs club and the Lithuanian Outing Association. She worked at Simplex Time Recording Company for approximately ten years before finding her home as the senior secretary at Gardner High School where she remained for 33 years until her retirement in 1973. While in MA, she was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic ChurchDuring World War II, Helen joined the Civil Air Patrol in order to serve her Country while her future husband was overseas.Helen enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. In her younger years, she loved entertaining family and friends at home in her backyard and planned every get together around her fabulous desserts. More recently, she passed the time reading mystery novels and knitting when she was able.Helen spent 82 years in Gardner MA before moving to Morgantown WV to be closer to her daughter after the death of her husband. After moving to Morgantown, she joined St. Maryâs Church of Star City. Her warm smile and pleasant demeanor will truly be missed.Friends may call at the Hastings Funeral Home, 153 Spruce St., Morgantown from 5-7 PM on Thursday, July 9, 2009. Mrs. Sargut will then be transported to the John H. Mack Funeral Home, 91 Vernon St., Gardner, MA, where visitation will be held on Saturday, July 11, 2009 from 10-12:30 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Gardner, MA on Saturday at 1 PM with Father Jesus Martinez as celebrant. Interment will follow in St. Johnâs Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Mrs. Sargutâs memory please be made to either Morgantown Hospice, PO Box 4222, Morgantown, WV 26504 or to the Gardner Visiting Nursing Assocation, 34 Pearly Ln., Gardener, MA 01440.Send condolences online at www.hastingsfuneralhome.com

Remembering Edith Needham Godfrey

Omaha, Neb. — Edie Godfrey was born in Gardner, MA, to Roger Needham and Anne Norcross Needham on July 14, 1942.  She passed away at her home on September 3, 2014, after a 6-1/2 year battle with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer.
Edie graduated from Gardner High School in 1960, Simmons College in 1964, and Northeastern University, both in Boston, in 1966. She married Michael Godfrey in 1964. In Boston, she taught remedial reading, and in Omaha she taught English as a Second Language at UNO until 2001. She and Mike, hosted dozens of foreign students who were taking English-language classes at UNO. She loved art, lecturing to elementary school classes when her children were young, later becoming a docent at the Joslyn Art Museum, and attended a month-long print-making class in Florence, Italy.  She sang in her church choir for many years, in the Omaha Symphonic Chorus, and with the Prairie Plaide Scottish Band.  She served on the Board of Nebraska Advocacy Services (Omaha) for several years.
She is survived by her husband, Mike; her sons and daughters-in-law, Benjamin and Michelle, Bruce and Kate, and Jared; five grandchildren; her sister, Elizabeth; and her brother, Arthur.
Her remains were donated to the Nebraska Anatomical Board at the University of NE Medical Center to benefit medical education.
A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 20, at First Central Congregational Church, 421 S. 36th St., Omaha. Memorials may be sent to First Central Congregational Church.


GHS Classmates are welcome to post comments sharing memories of Edith on this blog.