Helen V. Bradshaw of Merrimack, NH died on February 26, 2012 at Catholic Medical Center after a period of declining health.

Helen was born on August 17, 1913 in New York City to Patrick and Mary Josephine (Hayes) Leary. After graduating from a Catholic girls high school in New York, she worked for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and later was an executive secretary at IBM.

Helen married John F. Bradshaw, at that time an Army lieutenant, on June 20, 1942 in Manhattan. She embraced life as a military wife, moving 20 times to places as far away as Japan and Germany, while raising two young children. Following her husband’s Army retirement, Helen and John remained in Alexandria, Virginia, and later moved to Southhampton, NY. They relocated to Merrimack in 2001.

Helen lived an adventurous life. She was a skier before formal resorts existed, taking the night train from NY to the mountains, where she rented rooms in private farmhouses in lieu of ski lodges. She enjoyed ocean liner cruises with her sister and flying in a single engine plane with a former beau. Her strong and adventurous spirit sustained her through numerous challenges, including a successful battle with cancer.

Helen was an avid reader and political observer, but her true devotion was her family.

Helen is survived by her daughters, Barbara B. Wolf and her husband, Ralph Wolf, of Merrimack, Kathleen B. Ingraham of East Hampton, NY, grandchildren Erin Ingraham of Washington DC, Andrew Ingraham of New York City, Matthew Wolf and Tyler Wolf of Merrimack. She was predeceased by her husband of 63 years and her granddaughter, Laura Wolf, in whose memory a children’s charity, Laura’s World Fund was established, where Helen served as board member emeritus.

Visiting hours are scheduled for 1-3 p.m. Friday, March 2 at Rivet Funeral Home & Crematorium, 425 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, NH. A Mass of Christian Burial following at 3 p.m. at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Merrimack. Burial will take place at a later date in Arlington National Cemetery, where she will be laid to rest with her husband.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Laura’s World Fund, PO Box 42, Merrimack, NH 03054 or ChildFund International, 2821 Emerywood Parkway, Richmond, VA 23294.

For more information, and to sign an on line registry, please visit, www.rivetfuneralhome.com