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Submitted: 2/25/12 • Approved: 10/28/14 • Last Updated: 10/31/14 • R655047-G655045-S3
November 8, 1912 - July 25, 2010
*Obituary
Springdale Morning News
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
SAN ANTONIO — Helen Marie Survillo Dudzinska Ford Taylor was born on Nov. 8, 1912, in Fitchburg, Mass. According to her baptismal certificate from St. Bernard's Palish, she was baptized on Nov. 10, 1912, by Father James Donnelly. She was the youngest of seven children, including five sisters and a brother.
She was only 2 years old when the family returned to what is now Poland, in an attempt to protect their landholdings from the pillage and destruction of World War I. After the Armistice was signed ending World War I, the Russians disputed the boundaries set for Poland, leading to the Polish-Russian War of 1919-1921. Helen's home was in "No Man's Land" until she was nine years old.
She returned to the United States in 1933, moving to McAllen, Texas, to live with her sister, Florence Rowe. She married Scott Ford, an attorney and real estate developer, and bore him four children, Pauline Louise (Victoria), Elinor Ann (d.1968), James Stephen and John Edward Scott. Scott Ford died in February 1959.
In 1966, Helen met Louis S. Taylor while he was traveling in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. They were married in July 1967 and lived in Lou's home in Cave Springs, Ark. Helen joined St. Rafael's Catholic Church in Springdale, where she was an active member until 2005. When she became partially disabled, she moved to San Antonio, Texas, to live with her son, Jim. In June 2008, Helen fell and broke her hip, requiring her to have skilled nursing care. She transferred from the hospital to Stone Oak Care Center, about five miles from Jim's residence. Jim arranged the transfer of her youngest son, John, a stroke victim, to Stone Oak, so that they could visit daily.
Helen had an extremely varied life experience. In addition to being a homemaker, she had worked as a telephone operator, clothing salesperson, restaurant hostess, health food consultant, Red Cross nurse, Girl Scout leader and as a parochial school lay teacher. She was proficient in the English, Polish, Russian, French, German, Czech and Spanish languages. She was a gifted storyteller, amateur actress and dancer. She loved music and her taste ranged from classical to folk. She nursed her children and grandchildren through many bouts of illness, soothing them with her original stories and lyrical songs.
She is survived by her daughter; two sons; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. There are also numerous nephews; nieces: grandnephews and -nieces; great-grand- nephews and -nieces in the United States and in Poland.
Rosary services will be at 9:30 a.m. Friday, July 30, 2010, at St. Raphael's Catholic Church in Springdale.
Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday, July 30, 2010, at 10 a.m. at St. Raphael's Catholic Church in Springdale. Burial will be in the Cave Springs Cemetery.
No visitation is planned at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to St. Raphael's Catholic Church, 1386 S. West End St., Springdale, AR 72762.
To sign the guestbook online, please visit www.siscofuneral.com or www.facebook.com/siscofuneralchapel.
Contributed on 2/25/12 by wfields55
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Record #: 655047