Helen E. O'Rourke
Helen E. O’Rourke, a longtime staff member of Skidmore, died Feb. 18, 2017, at Saratoga Hospital. She was 79.
A native and lifelong Saratogian, Helen was born in 1937 to the late Francis and Helen (Cleary) O’Rourke. After attending the former St. Peter’s Academy on Broadway, she was a member of the first class to graduate from the new high school in 1955.
She worked at the New York Telephone Company and Starbuck’s department store before joining Skidmore in 1965. She served on the clerical staff in the alumni office for 27 years, retiring in 1992.
“She was just a nice lady,” recalls Jennifer Clark, administrative assistant in the Office of Alumni Affairs and College Events. “She’d spend hours working in the file room and never complained. She always asked how you were doing, and she never had anything bad to say.”
Advancement Services staffer Pat Poirier adds that Helen “took us all under her wing. She especially loved giving things to people who she knew would cherish them.” When Helen moved into a senior apartment, “she gave me a lot of her holiday decorations,” Pat says, “and when I had her over for Christmas she was so pleased to see them.” Jen, Pat, and other Skidmore colleagues remained friends with Helen until her death.
A member of St. Clement’s Church, Helen served as a religious instructor to children with special needs and volunteered in the parish choir; in addition, she was active with the former St. John Neumann Guild and volunteered for Wesley Health Care Center. In addition, she always enjoyed time spent with her close family.
Her three siblings predeceased her: Anna Pemberton, the Rev. Colin O’Rourke, and James H. (Jackie) O’Rourke. Survivors include nephew Frank (Jody) Pemberton of Saratoga Springs and nephew Stephen (Karen) Pemberton and his daughter, Christina, of Whitesboro.