Lasting Memories

Helen Sartoris
March 28, 1920-March 23, 2022
Menlo Park, California

HELEN SARTORIS left our world peacefully on March 23, 2022, just five days short of her 102nd birthday. Born in Virden, IL, raised in Auburn, IL, she lovingly parented four children in Chicago, IL, before coming to Menlo Park, CA, in 1979, where she had been a resident for 43 years.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 67 years, Cornelius Sartoris, and by one of her sons, Dr. David John Sartoris.

She was the Tree of Life to her four children, eight grandchildren, and sixteen great-grandchildren. She is survived by sons: Frank Sartoris of Brisbane, CA, and Nelson Sartoris of Biltmore Lake, NC, and daughter: Nella Maria Nemeth of Crete, IL, grandchildren: Cheryl Parkhurst, Jeaneen Deas, Michelle Maranta, Lisa Arcuri, Nanette Hansel, Tim Sartoris, Kathleen Sartoris, and David Paul Sartoris, and the sixteen great-grandchildren: Joshua, Rebekah, Leah, Rachel, Caleb, Brendan, Evan, Keane, Meghan, Dominic, Sarah, Michael, Frank, Vince, Sofie, and Peter.

A bright, strong, opinionated, optimistic, compassionate, fun-loving woman, she was happiest surrounded by her large extended multigenerational family and a row of Scrabble tiles in front of her. She will be missed dearly – but her family will not grieve deeply for long as she would not allow it. Nevertheless, the world is an emptier place without her.

The family wishes to extend thanks and gratitude to all her friends, too numerous to name, who enriched her life, and to two special angels disguised as nurses who lovingly oversaw Helen’s in-home care the last fifteen months of her life, Irene Escusa and Pin Tecson.