Helen Henderson (Hayes) Oppenheimer, 99, passed away March 7 in the Care Center of Bentley Village, Naples, Fla.

She was born in Butler on Jan. 17, 1915, the younger daughter of Dr. Ford Henderson Hayes and Maude (Black) Hayes.

Helen graduated from Butler High School. She then earned an associate degree in dental hygiene from the University of Pennsylvania, and assisted her father in his dental practice.

She married Everett Oppenheimer on Sept. 10, 1938, in Butler. Everett worked for the ARMCO Steel Corp., now AK Steel, at the Butler Works, and retired as works metallurgist. He passed away May 10, 2007.

Helen enjoyed her role as a homemaker, and also was frequently involved in community events. She and her husband were very active in Butler Little Theatre, often joking that her older son made his stage debut before he was born. She served as a den mother for Cub Scouts for several years. Helen was president of the Junior League, and was very involved in women's clubs.

When her sons were in military service, Helen volunteered with the Red Cross, and served as a case worker, collecting family history information to aid in the disposition of military justice cases. Helen and Everett enjoyed golf and bridge for many years, both in Pennsylvania and in Florida. Following Everett's death, Helen became involved in the Bentley Village choir.

After Everett's retirement, they divided their time between the house in the woods they had built in Butler, and apartments and condos in Florida. In 1988, they moved full time to Pelican Bay, Naples, Fla. Eventually, they moved to Bentley Village, also in Naples, where they enjoyed many happy years.

While Helen certainly had a mind of her own, she loved to see others happy, and very much enjoyed supporting others throughout her life. She loved her family and took great joy in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was always ready to go to the local ice cream shop for a bowl of their best. She loved going to a nice restaurant for good company, good food and good wine. In January of this year, she went to a restaurant with several family members to celebrate her 99th birthday, and she had a marvelous time. She had a long, full, happy life, and because of her, many other lives were blessed as well.

She is survived by her two sons, Larry Oppenheimer and his wife, Krystyna McIver, of Annandale, Va., and James Walter Oppenheimer and his wife, Christine Crawford-Oppenheimer, of Hyde Park, N.Y. She is also survived by her four grandchildren, Larry, Stephan and his wife, Anna Lynn, of New York City, Eric of Denver, Colo., Sarah and her husband, Christopher Humphrey, of Charlottesville, Va., and Anna and her husband, Dr. John Jesus, of Ardmore. Also surviving are her five (soon-to-be six) great-grandchildren, Mireille and Henderson (Stephan), Kinley and Waverly (Eric), and Aurelia and a child to be born in May 2014 (Anna).

In addition to her husband, Helen was preceded in death by her sister, Ruth Cheney (Hayes) Burris, in 1940, and her daughter-in-law, Gunda (Sporer) Oppenheimer in 2001.

Oppenheimer — Memorial donations in honor of Helen Henderson (Hayes) Oppenheimer, who passed away Friday, March 7, 2014, may be made to the scholarship fund for French studies in memory of Helen's much beloved daughter-in-law Gunda (Sporer) Oppenheimer at George Mason University.Burial will be at the convenience of the family.Make checks out to Gunda Sporer Oppenheimer Prize for French Studies, George Mason University, Development Office, 4400 University Drive, MS 1A3, Fairfax, VA 22030-9736.