- Helen L. (Hallett) Robsham, 88, of South Dennis and formerly of Bass River, passed away peacefully Monday, December 21, 2015 at the SE Mass Health & Rehab Center in New Bedford, MA where she resided for the past year.
Born in Hyannis, Helen was the youngest daughter of the late Harold E. & Flora I. (Hassett) Hallett and sister of the late Marjorie L. Brown.
Helen grew up in a more simple time in the village of Bass River during the 30's and 40's where playing with neighborhood kids consisted of sinking tin cans in a neighbors field to play golf (with only one rusty iron) or sneaking up the Davis water tank to take a quick dip if the water was high enough...and a quick dip it would be...if the water level dropped too low they couldn't climb out!
The Fourth of July was an all day affair. It started in the morning with a parade on Akin Avenue with the firemen, policemen, selectmen, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and would end up at the Owl's Club (the first one) on River Street. The women wouould make an assortment of hand made items to sell: aprons, pot holders, knitted linens with crocheted edges and of course lots of food. There were all sorts of games of chance to play if you had a nickel. A big band would play on a platform thahat was built by the men, for those who wanted to dance and a horse race game was set up by the men as well. The women made homemade baked beans and brown bread with hot dogs, pies and coffee for dessert (brownies, cookies and milk for the kids). Tickets were sold for each meal and once the feast was done everything was cleared away and the men would set up the fireworks. It was a wonderful end to a long fun filled day.
She was the wife of the late Richard E. Robsham, the son of a local rum runner during Prohibition. They were married for 63 years and together owned and operated the Bass River Liquor Store for 52 years.
After her retirement in 1986, she relocated to Ponce Inlet, Florida then returned to South Dennis in 1991.
She enjoyed gardening, roses being her favorite, doing needlepoint of all the east coast lighthouses and cooking her family favorite recipes. She was an artist and earned the Grumbacher Award from the Ponce Inlet Art Guild in February 1991. She belonged to the local Eastern Star Chapter in Yarmouth for over 50 years, dabbled in ham radio (K1RVG), and was an avid reader.
Helen is survived by four children, Susan L. Frommeyer and her husband Don of McKinney, TX; Peter H. Robsham and his life partner Mira Yamaoka of Orleans; Anne L. Cabral and her husband Mike of Acushnet and David E. Robsham and his wife Chevy of Norfolk, MA; 12 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren and twin nieces of WA and NV.
The family wishes to thank the nurses and staff of the SE Mass Health & Rehab Center and the Compassionate Care Hospice nurses and aides for their sensitive, warm and loving care.
Arrangements by Hallett Funeral Home, 273 Station Avenue, South Yarmouth, MA. 02664
Visiting hours from 11:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m Monday December 28th.
A private burial will follow.
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1927 - 2015 (88 år)
