Our Obituaries: HELEN E. JOST, GLEN SPEY, NEW YORK

Helen E. Jost age 88 of Glen Spey, NY passed away Friday, September 25, 2015 at the home of her daughter, surrounded by her family. She was born on August 18, 1927 in Stonington Deer Isle, Maine the daughter of Russell and Lelia Judkins Eaton. Adventuress at an early age loving flying in her Uncle Joe Judkins plane off the Island in Maine, Helen set her mind on flying and became a certified helicopter pilot. She owned and operated her company Kennebec Helicopters, Inc. at Stewart Airport in Newburgh, NY. She was the first woman to operate a commercial power-line helicopter patrol service. Helen was one of the first women pilots to become a member of the Amelia Earhart 99er's, and member #139 of the Whirly Girls Inc, International Helicopter Association. She worked to support her children and took on many first time women's place in a men's world jobs. Listing of a few of her many job contracts in flying were: sight seeing tours off the Pan Am Building in NY City, traffic reporting in Rockland County NY, Central Hudson Powerline Patrol, Spotting fires for the Hudson Valley Fire Patrol, Sightseeing tours around the Hudson Valley & Crop dusting out west. Helen was the only woman that begin taking the dangerous job flying the men on and off the oil rigs in the gulf of Mexico. She was the first to fly a little sick child to Boston's Children's Hospital before the medical flights was formed and for fun she enjoyed flying Santa to the mall for the children at Christmas time.

Helen was invited on the "What's MY Line" TV show were her answers pleasingly stumped the panel. She met with Barbara Walters for an interview and the journalist Gloria Steinem.

Ms Magazine recognized her in a full magazine article write up.

Helen started a Book she wanted to call "Skirts A Flying" A story about her life. Her daughter Aleta will be working on it now using her mothers scrap book and 40 years of diaries as a guide

Helen was a faithful member of the Pond Eddy United Methodist Church, member of the Spring Valley Order of the Eastern Star.

She was married first to the late Frederick Beltzer and second to the late Robert Jost. Helen is survived by her daughter Aleta Frost and her husband James of Westtown, her son David Beltzer of Ocala, Florida, four grandchildren, Jason, Brandon, Warren and Sarah, three great grandchildren, Shannon, Julia and Liam, one nephew Russell Bray She was pre-deceased by her sister Lenora Bray and her niece Betsy Betts. She will be greatly missed as a inspirational person, friend to so many, loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Her favorite quote was ~ "Nothing Ever Stays The Same"

Memorial services will be held Saturday, October 3, 2015 at 11AMat the Pond Eddy United Methodist Church, Berme Church Rd., Pond Eddy, NY. Rev. Nancy Vonderhorst will officiate. Interment Memorial service will take place in Stonington, Deer Isle, Maine. Memorial contributions may be made to the Pond Eddy United Methodist Church. Arrangements are by the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, 154 E. Main St., Port Jervis, NY. For information, directions or to send a condolence note to the family visit knight-auchmoody.com.

posted by DMA # 9:58 PM

Our Obituaries

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

HELEN E. JOST, GLEN SPEY, NEW YORK

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