Helga Smith

DELMAR - Helga Wohlert Smith, 99, of Albany, died Thursday evening, May 19, 2011. She was born in Philadelphia on September 16, 1911 to Anton Emil Wohlert and Elizabeth Olmes Wohlert, and grew up in Narberth PA attending the Lower Merion School and the Philadelphia School of Industrial Art. She met William B. Smith, DDS who was graduating from Penn's School of Dentistry in Philadelphia and they were married November 23, 1940 in Philadelphia before moving to the Albany area. The couple settled in Selkirk after WWII and lived there for over 40 years. Helga loved gardening and enjoyed her perennial and cutting gardens and eventually their productive vegetable garden. They eventually moved to the Beverwyck Retirement Community when they were finally able to leave those gardens behind. Helga later moved to the Syracuse area to live near her daughter. She was a member of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, the Bethlehem Garden Club and a variety of organizations stemming from her interests in art, gardening and her family life. Helga was predeceased by her husband William who died in 2001 following 60 years of marriage, and by all of her older and younger siblings. She is survived by her three children: Steve Smith of Ft. Lauderdale, Tim Smith (and Barbara) of Ballston Spa and Shelley Smith Licurse (and Bill) of Manlius NY. She is also survived by her seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. There will be a burial service on Thursday, May 26 at 11:00 a.m. at Elmwood Cemetery, Selkirk.