Helen T. Mackesy

Helen Theresa Mackesy

7/15/1934 – 4/25/2019

Helen was born on July 15, 1934.  She is the sixth of nine children of Cornelius and Helen Lewis of Brooklyn, NY.  She was married to John (“Jack”) Thomas Mackesy for sixty-two years.  She was a mother to nine children, grandmother to twenty and great grandmother to twelve.  She is survived by one sister residing in Buffalo, NY. 

At the young age of only nineteen Helen began a career at Chase Manhattan Bank in Manhattan, NY working directly for John Rockefeller in the Latin American Research Division. On July 27, 1957 she married John Thomas Mackesy, an Air Force Officer, also from Brooklyn, NY.  After marrying in New York the couple moved to Harlingen, TX where they had the first four of their nine children, Kathleen, John, Patrick and Kevin.  The family relocated to Sacramento, CA where her fifth child, Michael was born. The family then relocated to Homestead, FL where they had three additional children, Veronica, Anthony and Margaret.  Upon moving once more to Mesa, AZ the ninth child, Colleen joined and completed their family. 

John was deployed to Vietnam and upon his return the family stayed stateside for several years where she returned to a career in banking in Redlands, CA at the Bank of America.  After working several years in banking she transitioned into the aerospace industry at Hughes Aircraft Company where she held an Administrative Professional position under the Division Manager. She was employed at Hughes Aircraft for several years until her retirement in 1992.

Helen enjoyed her retirement years with her family being a proud and involved grandmother. Helen enjoyed travel adventures to Scotland, Ireland, England, Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, New York and Las Vegas. She loved playing bingo, playing the piano and entertaining her many friends and family.  Most of all she enjoyed joining Jack on the golf course. She enrolled herself in golf lessons and soon after perfected her game and awarded herself her own trophy. 

Helen had many dear friends and participated in and organized many family events and occasions into her final years when it was determined that Helen suffered from PSP (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy), a neurological disease. 

Helen is immensely loved by all and will be greatly missed.

To learn more about and create awareness for PSP please consider a contribution to www.PSP.org in lieu of flowers.

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