Pamela Ruth Helenek passed away on Sunday, July 14th at her home in West Charleston, VT surrounded by her family after a long battle with Alzheimer's.  She recently turned 75 years old on July 8th.  Pamela was the daughter of Luther and Lois Farley, born in Middletown, CT.

Pamela was a very kind soul with many talents.  At the young ages of 22 and 25, she and her husband Raymond Helenek moved up to Vermont from Connecticut with their one-year-old son, "Christopher" and purchased a farm in West Charleston with dreams of owning and operating a dairy farm.

In 1972 they purchased their first Jersey dairy heifer calves from Rupert and Muriel Chamberlin and Arthur Button.  They then had their second child, a daughter they named Colleen.  Pamela and Raymond grew the herd into a 20-25 Jersey cow dairy farm known as "Helenek's Jerseys" where they would operate for the next 50 years, even breeding a state champion Jersey cow named "Victoria" that their daughter Colleen showed at the Fairs.  Pamela was so proud of her beautiful cows.

Pamela was the face of Helenek's Jerseys, and she was known as the "farmer" as she managed the herd health and production, financial records, genetics and breeding and was the milker.  She helped with all aspects of haying while Raymond worked full-time for the phone company.

While being a full-time dairy farmer and raising her children, Pamela was very active in the farming community such as bringing her kids to numerous 4-H club meetings and activities that she often assisted with, promoting farm safety at events, participating in the Orleans County Farm Women's group, supporting and assisting her daughter's participation in many dairy shows, being part of a committee to raise funds to build the Orleans County 4-H Youth Center building, and traveling to the Netherlands with her daughter and other Orleans county dairy farmers to learn about their agricultural industry as part of the Ben & Jerry's Dairy Stewardship Alliance program.

Pamela was recognized as the Orleans County Farm Woman of the Year in 1994 and received a Dairy of Distinction in 2012.  She was a very skilled baker and quilter winning blue ribbons at fairs and even won Best Yeast Bread of Show at the Barre Farm Show.  After retiring from milking cows Pamela made many beautiful quilts for family and friends.

Pamela was an exceptionally strong and resilient woman who was involved in two very serious accidents over her lifetime and she still met life with grace and a smile, always encouraging and supporting her children.  She was a very social soul who cherished her close-knit circle of farm women and quilting friends.

Pamela is survived by her husband of almost 55 years Raymond Helenek, her son Christopher Helenek and her grandchildren Andrew and Tyler Helenek of Attleboro, MA., her daughter and son-in-law Colleen and Jonathan Leonard of Sutton, VT., and her step-grandchildren Heather Leonard and Jeremiah Leonard both of St. Johnsbury, VT and Richie Hackett of Sharon, VT and their family members including 5 step-great grandchildren.  She is survived by her siblings and their spouses Karen Robillard (John) of Kewaunee, WI, LaVerne Roberts (Rick) of Berlin, CT and Luther "Rusty" Farley (Lisa) of Brownsville, ME.  She is survived by numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association.  A private burial will take place with family members.  A memorial service will be scheduled for a later date this summer.  On-line condolences are welcomed at curtis-britch.com.  Arrangements are entrusted to Curtis-Britch & Bouffard Funeral Home & Cremation Service, locally family owned and operated.