Obituary of Helen Stangle

Helen Marie Brown Stangle "Loving Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother and Great Great Grandmother Mrs. Helen Marie Stangle, of Allegany, N.Y., passed peacefully on Sunday, November 21st, at Olean General Hospital, with her family present. Born June 4, 1912, in Denver, CO, she was the daughter of the late Leonard James Brown and Amelia Marie Meifert Brown. Following the death of her mother when Helen was ten months old, she was jointly cared for by her father, Leonard, and step-mother, Lucy K.Maxwell Brown and by her much beloved aunt and uncle, Agnes Brown Ophardt and John Ophardt. Mrs. Stangle graduated from Platteville High School, Colorado, in the Class of 1930 and entered the Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing in Denver, graduating as a Registered Nurse in 1933. From 1933 to 1938 she worked as a civilian nurse at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in Denver and was commissioned in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps in 1938. As a 2nd Lt., she received orders for Hawaii and was stationed at the Schofield Barracks Army Hospital where she met Lt. Joseph H. Stangle of Vincennes, IN. They were married 19 Oct 1940 at the Schofield Army Chapel, and they were married for sixty years until his death on January 10th, 2001. At the outbreak of WWII, Mrs. Stangle and her husband moved to various military posts including: Fort Ord, CA; Corvallis, OR; and Camp Carson, CO. After the war she joined her husband in Camp Hakata, Japan, for the Occupation (1947 to 1949). Other duty locations followed: San Antonio, TX; Ft. Leavenworth, KS; Carlisle Barracks, PA; Teheran, Iran; Alexandria, VA; and, the ROTC Department at St. Bonaventure University which brought them to the Olean area and their permanent home on the Five Mile in Allegany where they retired after his 28 years of military service. Mrs. Stangle was a former resident of Eden Heights, and she most recently resided at Absolut Care in Allegany. For many years, Mrs. Stangle served as an active member of the Olean Senior League, including membership in The Art Group and Entertainers Kitchen Band. She also worked as a volunteer at St. Francis Hospital and the American Red Cross. She is survived by three daughters, Jo Ellen (Jay Don) Coppersmith of Tooele, UT, Mary Jane Stangle of Boonton, N.J., and Sarah S. Stangle, of Allegany; a brother, Roy Brown, of Aurora, CO; eight grandchildren, Dr. Cliff Coppersmith (Kathy) of Williamsport, PA, Catherine (Brad) Nielsen, of Pleasant Grove, UT, LTC Brian (Sheri Lynn) Coppersmith of the sailing vessel Azimuth, Carrie Kohler, of Brick, N.J., Dale (Naomi) Coppersmith, of Salamanca, N.Y., Kurt (Jessica) Coppersmith of West Point, UT, Helen Lark Stangle and Joie-Rose Stangle of Allegany; twenty great grandchildren; and one great-great granddaughter, Eleanor Marie Fowler of Athens, GA; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, Mrs. Stangle was predeceased by her sister, Ethel Brown McCausland and brother, Leonard R. Brown. Friends will be received Friday, Nov. 26th, 2010 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Casey, Halwig, Hartle Funeral Home 3128 W. State Rd. Olean with funeral services to follow at 1:00 p.m. officiated by Father Ted Marconi of Erie, PA. Internment will be at St. Bonaventure Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials, if desired, may be made to The Warming House c/o of Saint Bonaventure University or the Blind Association of WNY 1170 Main St. Buffalo, NY 14209.