By Viola Kreeb
Born and brought up in Rockville Centre, Mrs. Shrimpton had lived in the family home on Lee Avenue until 1998, when following open heart surgery, she retired and moved to Ohio to be near her son's residence.
A graduate of South Side High School, Mrs. Shrimpton attended Adelphi University and during World War II served in the Waves, United States Navy.
Mrs. Shrimpton began working for the News-Owl when it was located at 9 Front Street and was part of the Acorn Publishing Company. In future years the paper had an office on Sunrise Highway in RVC, then in Mineola and Lynbrook and became part of the Nassau Community Newspaper Group. After a 90-year run and a name change to The Record, it was sold to the Herald.
In 1992, Helen was honored by being named The Village Chronicler by Mayor Murray and the Board of Trustees in recognition of her straight-forward and accurate reporting.
Helen had the entire village at heart, and as a lifelong resident knew and loved Rockville Centre, said Mayor Murray. Her dedication was outstanding, and we will miss her.
As social news editor for the News-Owl, this writer worked with Helen for three decades. She was very talented and devoted every waking hour to the work she loved. Not only my mentor, she was a dear and treasured friend.
Predeceased by her husband, John, Mrs. Shrimpton is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Brian and Pat Shrimpton of North Royalton, Ohio, daughter-in-law, Karen Shrimpton of Medina, Ohio, a daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Stephen Steinruck of Abington, Conn., a sister and brother-in-law, Betty and Bob Bacon of New Burn, N.C., two grandchildren, Timothy Shrimpton and Bonnie Steinruck, and two nieces, Ginny Bacon of Stamford, Conn. and Janet Paulin of Portland, Maine.
The funeral was from the Macken Mortuary and interment was in Long Island National Cemetery at Pinelawn.
The family would appreciate donations made in her memory to the Bide-A-Wee Adoption Center, 3300 Beltagh Ave., Wantagh, N.Y. 11793.
