Helen Pryles

Helen Marie Hartigan Pryles, 102, passed away peacefully on September 6, 2024 at her home of 55 years where she lived and loved her husband, George, raised her three children, entertained her family and friends, and made countless memories.

Helen was born September 2, 1922 in Mount Pleasant, PA, the oldest of five children born to Harry Lee and Gertrude (Schindel) Hartigan. Helen was a standout student at Ramsey High School and, upon graduation in 1940, studied nursing and became a Registered Nurse. Wanting to explore life outside of Mount Pleasant, Helen volunteered to serve her country and in 1944 was indoctrinated into the US Naval Nurses Corps in Portsmouth, VA. Ironically, her first assignment brought her back to Pennsylvania where she served at the US Naval Hospital in Philadelphia and lived in the Nurses' Quarters at the Benjamin Franklin Hotel. In a few short months, however, Helen was transferred and boarded a train to the US Naval Hospital in Shoemaker, CA.

Helen separated from active duty in 1946 and took her first airplane trip, traveling from San Francisco to Miami, Florida where her family had relocated from Pennsylvania. After six months in private practice at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Helen was recalled to active duty and reported to the US Naval Hospital in Key West. There she met Dr. George Victor Pryles who was assigned to the Navy Dental Corps. Helen was honorably discharged from service in 1950 and married Dr. Pryles later that year. Before his retirement as a Navy Captain in 1969, George and Helen had duty assignments in Kingsville, TX (where their daughter, Gigi, and son, Chip were born), Naha, Okinawa (where their daughter, Eleni, was born), and Marietta, GA.

After settling in Atlanta in 1969, Helen continued to be the devoted wife and mother that she had always been. Although she didn't officially practice nursing, she volunteered at the local elementary school clinic (where her kids would pretend to be sick so they could visit her during the day!) and she tended to many cuts, burns, wounds, and broken bones of her children, the neighborhood children, and her many nieces and nephews. Helen was also active in neighborhood and church activities including Breckinridge Garden Arts, Book Club, St. Vincent de Paul Society, and Immaculate Heart of Mary Bridge Club. In short, Helen always needed to be busy and was happiest when she was helping others.

At age 90, Helen lost her husband, George, after 63 years of marriage but was committed to making the most of whatever time she had remaining (perhaps not expecting it to be another 12 years!) She joined her children in Athens, Georgia to cheer on the family's beloved Georgia Bulldogs, traveled to Miami to revisit her old stomping grounds, and, at age 95, (along with her children and her then 93-year-old sister, Margie) took a cruise to Cuba and reminisced about the excursions she and George would take from Key West to Havana.

After 102 remarkable years loving and supporting her family and friends, Helen decided it was time to join her husband, George, and others who had preceded her in death, including her sisters Marjorie Jane Licht McManus, Elizabeth Gertrude Murray, and her brothers, Joseph Harry Hartigan and William Harry Hartigan. Helen is survived by her three children Mary Victoria "Gigi" (Bill) Barnes, Victor George "Chip" (Nancy) Pryles, Eleni Ann (Bert) Kalisch, and dozens of loving nieces and nephews.

Visitation will take place at 10:15am followed by a funeral Mass at 11:00am on Tuesday, September 10, 2024 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 2855 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta, GA. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Military Women's Memorial, 200 N. Glebe Road, Suite 400, Arlington, VA 22203 or online at www.womensmemorial.org.