Helen Kalfas 1930-2024

Helen was born Feb. 5, 1930, in Lemesurier, Quebec, Canada, to Hugh Kirby Gilmour and Lottie Rae Sharpe Gilmour. She was the second of five children. The family moved to Ontario in 1939. She attended Maxville High School and Nepean High School.

Helen was an excellent student and received several scholarships to attend Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, where she enrolled in the school of nursing in 1948. After graduation, she accepted a position at Ottawa Civic Hospital as a nursing instructor.

After a year, Helen craved travel and adventure. She took a nursing position in Reading, Pa. Soon after, she and her girlfriend took an extended trip throughout Europe. It was a discussion of this trip that caught the ear of a young Greek doctor, John Plato Kalfas. He and Helen shared a love of travel and adventure, and a courtship ensued. They married at the end of that year, in 1956. They then moved to Youngstown, where John took a position as a neurosurgeon at St. Elizabeth Hospital.

They had seven children between 1957 and 1968, happily raising the family in Liberty Township, while still enjoying extensive travel.

Helen was very busy with a full house of kids, but she found time to enjoy her passions – cooking, entertaining, tennis and skiing. She and John also found time to support their children in their extracurricular activities as well as their academic pursuits.

Tragically, Helen’s time with her husband was cut short, as John succumbed to cancer, at the age of 63, in 1986.

Helen found strength in her family and the holidays often brought the whole family together. She found purpose as a hospice volunteer.

She developed a deep and enduring love of dogs as a very special dog came into her life and became her companion after John passed and the children left for college and beyond.

In 1995, with the impending arrival of her first grandchild, Helen made the decision to leave Youngstown and move to Lafayette, Colorado, to take an active part in raising her granddaughter, Sophie. Later came grandsons, Jaxson and Apollo, and she moved to Denver to be closer to them as Sophie left for college.

Helen continued to ski and travel, visiting all seven continents, as well as the North Pole. Her time at home was marked by gardening, cooking and walking, always with a dog at her side.

Helen is survived by her children, Iain H. Kalfas (m. Holly Gepfert Kalfas) of Cleveland, Plato J. Kalfas of Youngstown, Lisa E. Kalfas (m. Tom Gordon) of Boulder, Colorado, Philip B. Kalfas of Aspen, Colorado, David A. Kalfas of Denver, Colorado, Gregor H. Kalfas of San Francisco, California, and Leta H. Kalfas (m. Anne Polyzou Kalfas) of Denver, Colorado; her grandchildren, Sophie Gordon, Jaxson Sharpe, Apollo Kalfas, Natalie Kalfas and Claire Gordon-Neff; and her sisters, Dorothea Gilmour Watson and Mary Gilmour Swanson.

She is predeceased by her husband, John P. Kalfas; her brother, Iain Gilmour; and her sister, Mona Gilmour.

Family and friends may visit from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 30, 2024, at the Fox Funeral Home, 4700 Market St., Boardman, followed by a funeral service at 11 a.m.

Interment will take place in Forest Lawn Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations made in Helen’s name to The Humane Society or the ASPCA. Our special appreciation goes to Brighton Hospice of Denver and Balfour Senior Living, who took such great care of Helen in her final months.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Edward J. Fox & Sons Funeral Home, 4700 Market St., Boardman.

Family and friends of Helen may visit www.foxfuneralhome.org to view this obituary and to leave condolences for the Kalfas family.

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