Hoosick Falls – Helen Nicolas Panos, 94, formerly of Troy, died Thursday, February 25, 2016 at the Diamond Hill Nursing And Rehabilitation Center in Troy after a brief illness. Born in Schenectady on September 5, 1921, she was the daughter of the late Albert A. and Bena Reinfurt Nicolas. Helen was raised in Hoosick Falls and was a graduate of St. Mary’s Academy where she was the class valedictorian.
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She was a graduate of St. Peter’s Hospital School of Nursing in Albany. During World War II, she served in the US Army as an Officer with the Army Nurse Corps, 4th General Hospital in the Phillipines. Upon returning home, she graduated from Syracuse University and received her MBA from the University of Michigan.
She was a Public Health Nurse for Rensselaer County for many years and retired from the NYS Health Department at the age of 55. She resided in the Troy Garden Apartments for over 20 years before moving to Green Island.
She was the President of the Maple Grove Cemetery Association in Hoosick Falls, a member of the Watervliet Senior Citizens and was an accomplished oil painter. In her younger years, she was quite an outdoorswoman, hiking in the woods, fishing and working on the family farm in North Hoosick.
She is the beloved sister of Marie Howland of Troy; adored aunt of Nicholas (Kathy) Howland and the late Patrick (wife Cathy survives) Howland; great aunt of Thomas (Sara) Howland, Suzanne (Steven) Cousineau, Zachary Howland, Ensign Alexi Howland, US Coast Guard and Jackson Howland.
A graveside service will be held on Sunday March 6 at 11 am at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Hoosick Falls.[/private]