Obituary of Helen Halliday

Helen Halliday (nee Tomczuk), of Chatham Township, died peacefully of natural causes on Monday, April 6, 2020 at her home.

She was born on September 27, 1928 in New York City to the late Joseph and Beatrice Tomczuk. She attended Girls Commercial High School in Brooklyn NY and was among the first women to attend The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art where she received a degree from the Art School in 1950.

Helen married Bert Halliday in 1950 and the couple settled in Brooklyn NY where they raised their three sons.

In addition to her watercolor paintings and pen and ink drawings she was an avid gardener. She drew inspiration for the many floral water colors that she painted and shared with family and friends from her near 50 year membership at The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. She even created a Japanese Garden in her Brooklyn backyard.

As a young girl she enjoyed playing competitive sports including field hockey. She maintained an active lifestyle throughout her life by playing tennis, downhill skiing, and ice skating. She continued to swim well into her 80's. She and Bert also loved to travel and shared many adventures touring the world.

They moved to Madison, New Jersey in 1991 where she continued pursuing her passions to garden and paint. She remained in Madison until moving to Juniper Village in Chatham three years ago.

In addition to losing her beloved husband in 1996, Helen was predeceased by her brother, Edward Tomczuk and grandson, Ryan Halliday in 2014. She is survived by her three sons, Mark (Beth), Bert (Mary Jean) and Christopher (Suzanne); her five cherished grandchildren, Amy Haff (Derek), Courtney, Anne (Jay), Jack, Zach, Matilda; two great grandchildren, Teddy and Evelyn, and many nieces & nephews.

Helen shared her passion and curiosity for life with all. She would remind us to always look up: “If you don’t you will miss an awful lot”.

Funeral services and burial for Helen will be held privately. She will be interred with her husband at Brig. Gen. Wm. C. Doyle Veteran’s Cemetery, Wrightstown, NJ.

Donations may be made in Helen’s memory to CHIPS, a charity that feeds the homeless, to the Ryan Halliday Breakfast Program which was established in memory of her grandson.

CHiPs, 200 4th Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11217-3180.

Please note in the memo section of the check that it is for the Ryan Halliday Breakfast Program.

http://chipsonline.org/