Helen E. Cooley

Helen E. Cooley, 93, resident of Milford, died on January 30, 2025 at the Community Hospice House in Merrimack, NH, surrounded by her loving family.

She was born in Goffstown, NH on January 20, 1932, one of six girls to Eugene Daigle and Valeda (Douville) Daigle.

She enjoyed bowling and roller skating at the Bedford Grove, the place she would meet her husband to be, Harold Cooley. They spent 65 happy years together, playing poker and dancing to polka. She was a proud mother to their two daughters, Diane and Denise.

During her youth, she went to work to help support her family after having graduated from the 8th grade. Helen was extremely proud of later obtaining her GED, and continuing her education through nightly college courses, excelling in her math courses. She then worked her way up to becoming a comptroller, retiring at 58 years old.

In her later years, she enjoyed her life at The Villager in Goffstown, where she loved her weekly Wii bowling and day trips with her friends.

Helen was a communicant of St. Patrick’s Church in Milford, NH. She was predeceased by her husband Harold of 65 years, and sisters, Laurette, Claire, and Yvette. Upon her husband’s passing in 2015, she then made her home at The Villager in Goffstown. She felt like this was a true second home for her.

Family members include two daughters and a son-in-law, Diane and William Fuller of Milford, NH and Denise French of Bennington, NH; six grandchildren, Tracey Auger, Travis Fuller, Brett French, Kristie LaPlante, Brian French, and Brandon French; nine great-grandchildren, Caleb, Lauren, Oliver, Anna, Lindsay, Chelsea, Ashley, Hailey, and Larisa; as well as sisters Pauline and Dolores.

We would like to extend our thanks to The Villager in Goffstown for the kind, compassionate, and loving care they extended to Mom and the family. She enjoyed being social and always spoke of how she loved The Villager and that they took such good care of her.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, February 8, 2025 from 10:00-11:15am at the Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford, NH. The funeral services will follow at 11:15am.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to either: The Villager, Recreation Fund, 50 North Mast Rd, Goffstown, NH 03045, or to the Community Hospice House, 210 Naticook Road, Merrimack, NH 03054. Arrangements are in the care of Smith & Heald Funeral Home. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please go to www.smith-heald.com