Helen Elizabeth Kuhns-Henry
May 29, 1921 – January 14, 2011
Helen Elizabeth Kuhns Henry, 89, passed away on January 14, 2011, in Media, PA. Helen was born in Pitcairn, PA, in 1921 to William Henry Kuhns and Catherine McClure Craft Kuhns. She was the youngest of 4 children. Helen graduated from Pitcairn High School in 1939, saying in her high school yearbook that she wanted to be a music teacher. Helen continued her studies at Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA, and graduated in 1943 with a BA in music. In addition to playing piano and violin, Helen gave a recital in vocal performance as a graduating college senior. Helen was a member of Kappa Delta sorority, Alpha Phi Chapter. Helen always recalled with fondness her selection as one of the 10 finalists for Ideal Freshman Girl, shortly after her arrival on campus. Helen met her future husband, Nelson Victor Henry, through her roommate when she was employed in Elizabethtown, PA, in her first teaching job. This was during WWII, and Helen's roommate's husband was with the Navy in the Pacific. He had a friend who "needed someone to write to". Helen started writing to Nelson, known as "Hank" by his Navy buddies. Many letters later, they met for the first time after the war ended, and were soon engaged. They married on December 22, 1945, and moved to Nels' hometown of Media, PA. Helen and Nels had 2 children, Karen and Nelson Jr. Helen retired from teaching in 1993 after 42 years of teaching music to kindergarteners to sixth graders. Although Helen taught initially in Elizabethtown, PA, and later at Parkside Elementary, she spent the majority of her career in the Rose Tree-Media School District. When she retired, she was Supervisor of Music for Rose Tree-Media and still taught at Media, Roosevelt and Springton Lake Elementary Schools. Helen taught several generations of students in Media, and also mentored many West Chester University music majors who were student teachers in her classroom. In addition to holiday performances, Helen produced an annual show with the able assistance of many of her Rose Tree-Media teaching colleagues. Favorite performances included abridged versions of "HMS Pinafore", "The Pirates of Penzance" and "The King and I". In the course of obtaining her Master's degree in 1977, Helen became an early adopter of the Kodaly method of teaching music, which utilizes hand signals to assist students in learning notes. Helen was active at Reformation Evangelical Lutheran Church, where she sang in the choir and directed the children's choir for many years. Helen also taught music on a part-time basis at the Darlington Arts Center. Helen resided at Riddle Village for the past 15 years. She was preceded in death by her parents as well as her three siblings Nellie Agnes Kuhns Hartley, Ralph George Kuhns and Howard Dale Kuhns; also preceded in death by Nelson Victor Henry, Senior, who died in 1989.
Survivors: Her daughter Karen Lee Henry Briggs (Scott) of Colorado Springs, CO; son Nelson Victor Henry Jr. (Cathy) of Aldan, PA; also 4 grandchildren Amy Briggs Adomanis (Chuck) of Brooklyn, NY, Richard Clark Briggs of Somerville, MA, Jamie Henry Traverso (Gavin) of Dudley, MA and Christine Michelle Henry of Aldan, PA; 6 great-grandchildren Emma, Miles and Griffin Adomanis of Brooklyn, NY; Aubrey, Julie and Meghan Traverso of Dudley, MA.
Private family burial service was held on Saturday, January 22, 2011, at Edgewood Memorial Park.
Memorial Service and celebration of her life will be held at Reformation Evangelical Lutheran Church, 102 West Rose Tree Road, Media, PA, on her 90th birthday, May 29, 2011, at 2 pm. Helen's family will host a gathering of family and friends immediately following the service at The Towne House, 117 Veterans Square, Media, PA.
Contributions: The family suggests a donation to the Youth Music Programs at Reformation Evangelical Lutheran Church, 102 West Rose Tree Road, Media, PA, 19063-2099, in lieu of flowers, as a fitting tribute to Helen's long career in music education.
Helen's epitaph captures her lifelong love of music, second only to her love of her family: "Gifted Musician, Dedicated Educator, Devoted Mother, Great Beauty and Hard Little Worker – May Her Song Never End".
Arr: J. Nelson Rigby Funeral Home, Media, PA

Published in The Daily Times on February 13, 2011