Helen Scheffel

Helen B. Scheffel, of Kingston, NY, passed away on Thursday, October 26, 2023 at HealthAlliance Hospital, Mary's Ave Campus in Kingston, just five months after her husband, Robert Scheffel passed. Both of them were 89, had spent over 70 years together and were married for 69. They were truly inseparable, both in life and in life-everlasting.

Helen was born on December 12, 1933 in Kingston, daughter of the late Paul and Kathryn (Cole) Barnum. She was a 1952 graduate of Kingston High School, where she later worked as a monitor, from 1975 through 1986, with some of her closest friends from her high school days. She also served as an Election Inspector for Ulster County for many years. Helen loved her family, her friends- many of whom she had known close to her entire life, and her spiritual family. She was a generational and life-long member of the Reformed Church of the Comforter where she served on the Womens’ Guild, as an elder and sometimes president as well as on the Church Consistory again serving as President. Helen was an integral part of many other church events, including the church community dinners and the legendary clam chowder sales. Aside from her family and her friends, her greatest love was for her church. She was kind and generous, good-natured, and like her husband, Bob, always enjoyed a great party with family and friends. Helen had a smile that would warm the world around her and always enjoyed a good laugh. She was her family’s foundation; their rock. She will be kept in their hearts forever and she and Bob will be missed beyond comprehension.

Helen is survived by her children, Robert S. Scheffel and his wife Jie of Ridgefield, CT, David M. Scheffel and his wife Deborah of Saratoga, NY, and James A. Scheffel and his wife Betsy of Kingston, NY, her grandchildren, Helena Marchetti and her husband Eric, Lauren Fahrenkopf and her husband Adam, William Scheffel, Michelle Scheffel, Rebecca Scheffel, Nevaeh Scheffel, Geoffrey Smith, and Ashley Haile and her husband Al, her great grandchildren, Aria Marchetti, Wyatt Marchetti, Emilia Fahrenkopf, Geoffrey Smith, Jr., Benjamin Smith, Isla Fahrenkopf, and Wesley Fahrenkoph, his sister-in-law, Marilyn Rienzo of Kingston, as well as many beloved nieces, nephews, other dear family members, and an incredible group of lifelong friends. In addition to her husband and parents, she is predeceased by her sisters, Doris West and Nancy Burr.

Arrangements entrusted to Keyser Funeral & Cremation Service, 326 Albany Ave., Kingston, NY 12401, where family and friends may visit on Sunday, October 29, 2023 from 5pm to 8pm. The funeral procession will form on Monday, October 30, 2023 at 8:45am and will proceed to the Reformed Church of the Comforter, 26 Wynkoop Place, Kingston, NY 12401 where at 10am the funeral service will take place. Entombment will follow in Wiltwyck Cemetery, Kingston. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Church of the Comforter. A tribute for Helen can be found at www.KeyserFuneralService.com, where you may leave memories and expressions of sympathy for her family.