Nemesnyik, Helen
NEMESNYIK, Helen
Helen Nemesnyik (nee Szekely) of Dunwoody, GA passed away peacefully on July 16, 2021. She lived 101½ full years. Nothing was more important to Helen than her family. She was predeceased by her husband of 52 years, her beloved and lifelong partner John. Helen is survived by her daughters Ilona Rashkow (Bruce) of Manhattan, NY and Ellen Warden (John) of Sandy Springs, GA; grandsons Tyler Warden (Elizabeth) and Jonathan Warden; great-grandsons Blake and Lucas Warden; niece Carol Bradshaw (Edward). Her brother James (Szekely) predeceased her as did her nephew James (Szekely).
Born in Elizabeth, NJ to Louise and Andor Szekely in 1920, Helen grew up in New York City during Prohibition and the Depression. At a very young age she recited Hungarian poems for tips in her mother's Speakeasy. She was a gymnast at Julia Richmond High School and participated with her brother in Hungarian folk dance exhibitions. Helen attended the annual Army-Navy football game when Pearl Harbor was bombed, and the game was brought to an immediate stop. She was working in the Empire State Building during WWII when it was hit by a bomber. She was in Times Square right next to a sailor kissing a nurse capturing the famous moment of celebration of V-J Day. Helen married John a week before he desployed to the Pacific Theater and moved to California for a brief stint after his return, where their neighbor was a young actor named Ronald Reagan.
Helen lived in Nutley, NJ from 1954-1990, and worked in an exclusive dress shop where one of her best customers was Mrs. Jimmy Hoffa. She then moved on to banking where she worked at the State Bank of New Jersey, rising to Vice-President of the International Department. Helen was active in the League of Women Voters and the Passaic Hungarian Reformed Church.
After the birth of her grandchildren Helen relocated to Atlanta where her light and spirit touched many others. She immediately joined Peachtree Presbyterian Church where she was a member of the Martha Wilson Sunday School Class and helped with Vacation Bible School. She worked in the Dunwoody Baptist Pre-School and her favorite pastime was as a volunteer for the Dunwoody Branch of the Dekalb County Library until her Macular Degeneration forced her to give that up.
Helen made friends wherever she went (in fact we are not sure she ever really knew a stranger). If you asked her "what was the secret to her long life?" she would smile cheerfully and say, "My 5 o'clock cocktail." But in reality, it was many things: her faith, family, optimism, good humor, joy, zest for life and resiliency. We are so blessed to have had her in our lives and to love and be loved by her.
Helen donated her body to science to help improve the quality of life for all of us. A memorial service will be held at a later date at Peachtree Presbyterian Church where she was a member for 30 years. Donations may be made in her name to the Peachtree Presbyterian Music Ministry by following this link https://onrealm.org/PeachtreeChurch/give/FriendsOfMusic.
