Helen Emma Connelley

SURPRISE – Helen was born to Friedrich and Emma (Becker) Rothweiler on May 4, 1937 in Los Angeles, CA. She attended school in Los Angeles. She met her first husband, Ted Bluestein, while working at Hughes Aircraft Company in Culver City, CA. He predeceased her. They were married for 36 years and had four children – Julie (Dennis) Rioux of Peoria, AZ, Keith (Stacy) Bluestein of Springfield, VA, Nancy (Tom) Sullivan of Phoenix, AZ, and Mark (Jennifer) Bluestein of Haslet, TX, who survive her. Helen also has eleven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. She retired from the Astronomy Department at the University of AZ in 1997 and married Donald Connelley of Indianapolis, IN. Helen was active in Oro Valley United Church serving for two years as Moderator. She was also active in the Ladies Auxiliary of the Sons of the American Revolution and was a member of the George Washington Society. Helen researched genealogy of the family as a hobby. Helen was a member of various genealogy societies, Desert Garden UCC, Death Valley 49ers, Pima County Republican Club, and the Arrowhead Republican Women. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Desert Garden United Church, 18818 N. 128 Avenue, Sun City West, AZ 85375, or to the NLASAR (National Ladies Auxiliary Sons of the American Revolution), Attn: Sonia Mallar, Treasurer, 103 Essex Street, Bangor, ME 04401, or to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, 355 Lexington Avenue, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10017. A Celebration of Helen’s Life will be held at 4pm Thursday, August 2, 2018 at Heritage Funeral Chapel, 6830 W. Thunderbird Rd, Peoria, AZ. At the family’s request a Committal Service will be held privately at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona. Please offer condolences at www.heritagefuneralchapels.com.