Helen Elizabeth Jordan

      Helen Elizabeth Jordan was born on 5 March 1907 in South Crosby Twp, Leeds & Grenville County, Ontario.¹ She was the daughter of James Edward Jordan and Catherine Burns.¹ She married Vincent Joseph O'Neill on 1 August 1934 in St Columbanus Church, Elgin, Leeds & Grenville County, Ontario^G.² She died on 13 January 1971 of cancer in St Vincent de Paul Hospital, Brockville, Leeds & Grenville County, Ontario, at age 63.³ She was buried in St Columbanus Cemetery, Elgin, Leeds & Grenville County, Ontario^G.⁴

Mary Helen Elizabeth Jordan, known as Helen, was a sweet-dispositioned woman. She grew up on a farm near Crosby. Helen's father died when she was in high school. Helen and her sisters helped each other financially to continue their educations. She was a wonderful mother who did her best for them even when life was difficult for her and her children.

Helen was educated as a teacher at the Ottawa Normal School. She taught at a small one room school near Perth Road Village and then went to the Elgin School from about 1928-1934. When she married Vincent O'Neill in August 1934, she moved to the O'Neill homestead on Highway #32, north of Gananoque. She raised her 5 children and then returned to teaching when Mary was in school. Helen was good in Math, loved to read and could draw quite well. She liked to play cards and visit with her brotherJohnnie and sisters Hilda and Mary. Helen was also very close to her cousins Mary Alice and Thomas Burns who lived in Cleveland, Ohio.⁵