Helen Domeny

Helen Patricia (DeVenezia) Domeny enjoyed a long, happy life filled with love of children, family, flowers, reading, and travel. At the age of 86 she passed away peacefully in her home near Rogersville, Missouri on June 14, 2010.

Helen was born September 17, 1923 in Newark, New Jersey, sixth of ten children born to Nicola and Marie (Saporito) DeVenezia. She knew at a young age she wanted to be a teacher. After graduating from Irvington High School, Irvington, New Jersey in 1939 and Montclair State University in Upper Montclair, New Jersey, in 1943, she embarked on a teaching career that lasted over 30 years.

Helen first taught junior high English and social studies in Washington School in Union, New Jersey for 8 years. Then in 1951, seeking adventure, she accepted a teaching job in Venezuela. There she met John Harold Domeny, a Kansas farm boy, who was working as an accountant for an oil company in Venezuela. They wed in Maplewood, New Jersey on July 19, 1953. Following their wedding they returned to Venezuela for 4 more years. Daughters Linda and Kathy were born there.

John and Helen and their family moved to Kansas in 1957, to Springfield, Missouri in 1958, and then to a farm near Rogersville, Missouri in 1961 where they remained for the rest of their lives. Their family grew to include five children. Helen devoted herself to her children, encouraging their interests, and working hard to provide for them.

For over 20 years Helen taught in the Logan-Rogersville school district, initially as a kindergarten teacher, later as an elementary librarian. Helen loved teaching and was very happy in her career.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband, John, her parents, and 5 siblings, Colette, Anthony, Lucy, Lee, and Orazio.

Survivors include daughter Linda Wefler (Springfield) and her children, April (Colorado Springs) and Eileen (Springfield); daughter Kathy McConnell, husband Sid, and their children, Kaitlyn, Jami, and Chelsea, of Marshfield; son Andy Domeny of Springfield; daughter Judy Domeny Bowen and husband, David, of Rogersville; and daughter Martha Atkinson, husband John, and their children, Ashley and Christy, of Shawnee, Kansas.

Also surviving are her siblings Marie DeVenezia, Irma Conforti, Richard (wife Ann) DeVenezia and Edward (wife Alice) DeVenezia, all of New Jersey; sister-in-law Gussie (husband Charlie) Anderson of New Mexico; and brother-in-law Paul (wife Lucille) Domeny (Oklahoma). Helen's relatives and friends will forever miss her wit, her vast knowledge of history and current events, her ability to spell any word correctly, and for her kids, the lifelong comfort of knowing Mom was always there to listen, advise, and love us. How thankful we all are to have had Helen in our lives!

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 26 at Schweitzer United Methodist Church, 2747 E. Sunshine, Springfield, MO. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital, PO Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis TN, 38148 or St. John's Hospice.

Online condolences can be shared at www.hhlohmeyer.com.