TOPSHAM – On April 17, 2024, Helen Incze left her beloved family for her Heavenly Home with her Lord and Savior, her help in distress the Blessed Virgin, and her forever friends, St. Anthony and St. Francis of Assisi. She was born on Feb. 12, 1932 in Lewiston to her late parents Lucien A. and Simone (Marcotte) Gastonguay.

She attended St. Peter’s parochial school and graduated Valedictorian from the first four year girls’ high school program of St Dominic High School. Subsequently, she enrolled in St Mary’s General Hospital School of Nursing. In the second of three years of nurses’ training she met Lewis L. lncze who had just arrived at St. Mary’s to open a School of Radiologic Technology at the hospital. She often related that the first time she saw him a “little voice in me said in tones of greatest awe and wonderment ‘That’s MY MAN”‘. They first dated in February, were engaged in June, and married in September. Theirs was a marriage blessed with unfailing love and a wonderful family.

Ten years and four little boys later, when Schools of Nursing opened their doors to married women, Helen would return, complete her R.N. degree, and attain from U.S.M. a bachelor and a master’s degree in Psychology and Counseling. She was also certified by the A.N.A. as a Psychiatric Nurse. Her nursing career was spent at St Mary’s Hospital, initially as staff and head nurse, then as Instructor in the School of Nursing for 25 years. Prior to her return to nursing, she had been an active member of the Lewiston-Auburn Kennel Club, serving one year as president. She conducted Dog Obedience Training classes twice yearly for the club as well as giving private lessons from her home. She showed her German Shepherds both in Breed and in Obedience.

Helen loved the ocean, their sailboat Talisman, and their little camp Tengerlak on a Maine island. She enjoyed gardening, knitting, sewing, painting, the glories of nature, line-dancing, any kind of challenge, the company of friends, reading, her computer, folk and western music, and any animal, no matter how small or large.

She was predeceased by the love of her life, her beloved husband “Lali”; her younger sister, Irene Gastonguay; her dear pet rooster, Pinky, and her four cherished dogs, Bugle, Huszar, Betyar and Ilka, as well as countless little feathered and finned treasures who became part of the family over the years.

She leaves behind four sons who were the joy of her life and unfailing support in her old age, Lewis S. and his wife Liz of Harpswell, Daniel Z. of Lewiston, Michael L. of Middletown, R.I., and Bruce I. and his wife Diane of Arkport, N.Y.; two granddaughters, Anne and Bethany, six grandsons, Michael, Steffen, Matt, Mark, Halsey, and Garrett; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Condolences and fond memories of Helen may be shared on her memorial page at http://www.albert-burpee.com.

Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Tuesday, April 30 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Holy Family Church in Lewiston on Wednesday, May 1 at 11 a.m. and will also be live streamed via Helen’s obituary page on the funeral home’s website. Committal prayers will follow in the large chapel of the Mausoleum at St. Peter’s Cemetery.

Arrangements are under the care of Albert and Burpee Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 253 Pine St., Lewiston, 782-7201.

In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution in Helen’s memory to any

St. Anthony shrines/associations.

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