ForeverMissed
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This memorial website was created in memory of our loved one, Helen Toporis, 89 years old, born on October 31, 1925, and passed away on September 12, 2015. We will remember her forever.
November 6, 2023
November 6, 2023
You always were my favorite aunt. You inspired me with your positive, uplifting, encouraging attitude. I love you and miss you a lot.
October 31, 2022
October 31, 2022
Happy Helen Day!
Happy Helen J Toporis Memorial Day!
October 26, 2022
October 26, 2022
Auntie Helen, I miss you so much. You are such an inspiration. You were a very strong woman who didn't let anything stop you from getting anywhere or anything. Your smile would light up the whole room. Your sense of humor and positive, encouraging attitude was so uplifting. You have a heart of gold. You are my hero in so many ways. I love you. Happy birthday.
October 31, 2021
October 31, 2021
Happy 6th Aunty Helen Memorial Day. The young ones in your family tree carry on the traditions of fun, stories, and funny stories.
September 12, 2021
September 12, 2021
Auntie Helen,
I truly miss you, think about you often and love you very much. I miss your smile, your laugh, your sense of humor, your kindness, your love and your support.
November 4, 2020
November 4, 2020
Happy Birthday, Auntie Helen. I miss your constant smile, your laugh, your sense of humor, your kind spirit, positive attitude and caring nature. You are one of a kind and one of my favorite people in my life. I'm so blessed that you are in my life and that you are my Godmother. I'll always have you in my heart.
October 31, 2020
October 31, 2020
Fortitude, generosity, humanity, integrity, kindness, resilience and that ability to give your full attention to anyone that can make them feel special... These are the traits I remember most and admired about you. Happy HJT Memorial Day, declared by your grand nephew in whom you took such pleasure. Love always.
September 13, 2020
September 13, 2020
You had that special gift of making people feel appreciated because you always gave your full attention, spoke truthfully, and found something to admire even in people who annoyed you. And you did it all with a sparkle of humor and an easy laugh that live in my memory and bring a lightness of spirit. 
September 12, 2020
September 12, 2020
Aunt Helen,
When I think of you, I remember a strong soul with a caring, giving spirit. You were a bedrock for the family. We will always love you.
September 12, 2020
September 12, 2020
Auntie Helen, I miss your smile and your laugh. You're one of my favorite people. I love you so much. Your positive attitude and caring, giving nature are something I hope to live up to. You're an inspiration. I always knew I was loved by you.
September 12, 2019
September 12, 2019
Aunt Helen you will always have a special place in my heart. You are truly an inspiration to everyone with your can-do positive attitude. I love you always.
September 12, 2019
September 12, 2019
You blessed my life with the last years of yours. Having the privilege to care for you, discover so many stories of your life, marvel at your ambitions achieved and your troubles overcome increased my love and admiration for you. Your memory is a blessing and inspiration to me constantly. You are forever missed and forever cherished.
September 12, 2018
September 12, 2018
Auntie Helen, I love you so very, very much. I always will. You filled my heart with your love. You always had a smile on your face. You always cared for others. You had such a positive attitude on everything. You were a strong, confident and very capable woman and I admire you so much. You had a good sense of humor and I'm sure you're keeping everyone laughing up in heaven. I miss you.
November 1, 2016
November 1, 2016
October 31st was, last year, dubbed "Auntie Helen Memorial Day" by her great-nephew, my son, David. What a beautiful consolation for us and tribute to her. Halloween always had a special fun aspect for me because it was also Aunt Helen's birthday. I loved finding Halloween Birthday cards to send her. I can just see and hear her happy laughter at the thought of her own HJT Memorial Day, "just like Martin Luther King", dedicated to her by David. Happy HJT Memorial Day!
October 31, 2016
October 31, 2016
Helen was a good neighbor for many years. I still live next to her old house, and still think about her from time to time. My brother, Tom, and I made a point of visiting her a number of times while at assisted living, and often talked about spiritual things, about Jesus, about prayer. Helen was always so glad to see us and talk with us. I thank God for having known Helen, and for her friendship.
October 31, 2016
October 31, 2016
Auntie Helen, I miss you so very much. You will always be in my heart and mind. You always were my favorite aunt. I have so many fond memories. Happy birthday.
September 12, 2016
September 12, 2016
Your memory is a blessing. My blessing was to have grown closer to you in your last years. Your life and love give me strength. Always in our hearts, trusting you are at peace joyfully reunited with those you loved who went before you, we hold you in prayer.
September 12, 2016
September 12, 2016
Auntie Helen, I'm so blessed that you are in my life now and forever. I miss you every day. I'm grateful to have you as an aunt and Godmother. I love you so much.
September 12, 2016
September 12, 2016
We stili miss you Aunt Helen. Our memories of you are strong which is a testimony to your positive personality! God bless you, LOVE, Larry,Keely, Matthew, Tyler, & Aubrey.
November 23, 2015
November 23, 2015
I've read the wonderful things that have been said from those who have know Helen in her earlier years. I had the pleasure of knowing Helen in her more recent years, here at Atria Park in Glen Ellyn Illinois. Helen was smart, funny and determined ... she knew just want she wanted and just when she wanted it. And she was so very proud that she worked for Ryerson Steel ... A WOMAN THAT DID BETTER THAN THE MEN BECAUSE SHE WAS FAIR AND TOLD THE TRUTH to her clients. I loved working with her, talking with her. She wore gold shoes which I believe her niece sent her. She looked so very classy in them and I told her so many times. I miss her being a part of our community. God's speed Ms. Helen.... until we meet again.
November 1, 2015
November 1, 2015
Happy 90th Birthday Aunt Helen! God bless you! 10/31/15
October 2, 2015
October 2, 2015
Growing up in Chicago I was very lucky to have my Auntie Helen and living so near we spent a lot of time together. She was more than an aunt to me - she was also a kind and generous friend to me and my brother Bobby. I can remember when I was a little girl and would meet her walking on her way home she would search her purse looking for something to give me. She would find candy, gum or some small change. These little gifts were very much appreciated and remembered by me  Good-by Auntie Helen and God bless.
September 23, 2015
September 23, 2015
Aunt Helen had a very full life. They traveled the world, a lady executive when there weren't any. She could tell a joke better than anyone. All the Toporis' loved going to Jovial Club and dance the polka all night. She was so fashionable and so pretty. My parents thought so highly of her. She is at peace now and with Uncle Mike.
September 21, 2015
September 21, 2015
Whenever we visited my Aunt Helen, my dad would have me knock on the front door while the rest of the family hid around the corner to prank his sister. I still remember my lines as I twitched nervously on the front porch, "Excuse me lady, I really need to pee. Can I use your bathroom?" Of course, she always knew it was me so maybe the "prank" was on me?!

We will miss you Aunt Helen. You taught us to be strong, tenacious and accountable and to put family first. Those are blessings that we will always treasure.
September 20, 2015
September 20, 2015
My Aunt Helen was a very positive, happy person. I loved being around her. Her excitement for life was infectious. She always had a smile on her face. One of my fondest memories is when she taught me to embroider. She always had something for us to do. And, family was always her priority. I loved sitting in the kitchen with her while she cooked. I miss her very much.
September 16, 2015
September 16, 2015
"I couldn't have had a better life" is what she told everyone and what she truly believed. She was proud of her 42-year career with Ryerson Steel. She cherished her 25-year very good marriage to Michael Toporis. She loved the opportunities she had to travel the world and do good and she always honored her privilege to enjoy freedom as a citizen of the USA where "you can be as successful as you want to be". A true egalitarian, she appreciated every person in her life, treating them in the way she liked to be treated. Her hope for her family members was that they raise their children right and be proud of them; help them get into something they can give their time to and be successful. "It's our family tradition".
September 16, 2015
September 16, 2015
Aunt Helen was one of the most loving people in the world. She was always, ALWAYS concerned especially about how her Nieces, Nephews, Grand Nieces, and Grand Nephews were doing. She constantly asked about them in a very sincere manner. She also always communicated and cherished stories that had a humorous component to them. I can still hear her laugh! Aunt Helen was very proud of her time at Ryerson and especially that she made inroads as a female Sales Person. She worked very hard to become supremely knowledgeable so that she could service her clients properly. She always told the story of being rebuffed by a man at a large company looking to purchase steel and he didn't really know what he needed and actually refused to order from Aunt Helen. Once she explained that his choice in steel was the incorrect for his application and why, he thanked her, made the purchase, and then said that he would NEVER buy steel from anyone else! God bless you Aunt Helen and thank you for being a positive model of a wonderful human being!
September 16, 2015
September 16, 2015
Helen was a long time neighbor; she was a good neighbor. We often talked about her career at Ryerson Steel, where she would assist her sales clients in getting the best deal possible, where she earned the trust and appreciation of those clients. That led to a lot of success at her position.

Here is my take on her sales style: she treated her customers the way she would have liked to been treated. So she was fulfilling the golden rule, as told be Jesus in the 7th chapter of Matthew, "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." I wish more people would relate to others using the golden rule.

We will miss our visits with Helen.
September 16, 2015
September 16, 2015
Helen was a very dedicated and longtime participant in the Women's Health Initiative for 17 years. Generations to come will benefit from Helen's selfless giving to this landmark research. The staff at the Midwest Regional Center are very sorry for your loss. We appreciate everything she did for the study and she will be missed. She really did follow her "family tradition". What an inspiration she was.

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Recent Tributes
November 6, 2023
November 6, 2023
You always were my favorite aunt. You inspired me with your positive, uplifting, encouraging attitude. I love you and miss you a lot.
October 31, 2022
October 31, 2022
Happy Helen Day!
Happy Helen J Toporis Memorial Day!
October 26, 2022
October 26, 2022
Auntie Helen, I miss you so much. You are such an inspiration. You were a very strong woman who didn't let anything stop you from getting anywhere or anything. Your smile would light up the whole room. Your sense of humor and positive, encouraging attitude was so uplifting. You have a heart of gold. You are my hero in so many ways. I love you. Happy birthday.
Recent stories

An Inspiration

September 16, 2015

As Helen and I worked together on her life story in 2012, I consistently marveled at her strength of character. She persisted through losses, adversity and setbacks with spunk, intelligence and assertiveness to arrive at the final stage of life with a smile. It was pure joy to help her say all that she wanted others to know before her time came to watch over us from Heaven. Thank you, Susan, for the rare privilege of writing for Aunt Helen.

Like a Sister (George Carney)

September 16, 2015

Helen was my best friend since 1943.  She helped get me into the Navy.  She used to practice her cooking on me for her boyfriends.  I knew Mike, too.  He was a great guy and it was great when they got together.  She was like a sister to me, had a heart of gold, was a nice person, and she loved everybody.  I’m gonna miss her so.  I’ve always prayed for her and I’m gonna pray for her every night to God because she’s at peace now.  I used to go see John and wait for him to come home and Helen used to cook for me, and she did all the housework.  She was a wonderful person and I’ll always lover her.

as dictated to Susan Byrne

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