Helen B. Verelley, a lifelong resident of Stratford, Connecticut, passed away on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at a nursing home in Newtown, CT after a long illness. She was 86. Born Helen Marie Beardsley, she was the daughter of Ellen W. Wellington and Allen M. Beardsley and was a direct descendent of William and Mary Beardsley, the original settlers of the town of Stratford. Helen lived in Stratford from the time she was born on January 3, 1926 until November 2010 when she moved to a nursing home in Newtown, CT. She was a lifelong member of Christ Episcopal Church in Stratford and was a member of the Housatonic Boat Club. She loved to paint, garden, meditate, practice yoga, and enjoyed traveling with her husband. Helen graduated from Stratford High School and became a nurse. During World War II she worked at AVCO Lycoming in Stratford. After the war, Helen married Robert B. Verelley on September 13, 1947 in Christ Episcopal Church in Stratford and had four sons. She was briefly survived by her husband of 64 years, Bob, who passed away on January 24, 2012. She is also survived by a sister, Martha Murray, of Bethel, CT; two brothers, John Beardsley and his wife Lynda of Brewster, MA, and Edward Beardsley and his wife Lois, also of Brewster, MA; her four sons, William Verelley of Larkspur, CA, John Verelley and his wife Karen of Weston, CT, Thomas Verelley and his partner Stan Lewellen of Vallejo, CA, and David Verelley and his wife Daria of Woodbury, CT; two grandsons Allen Verelley of Portland, OR and Matthew Verelley of Mill Valley, CA; three nephews and four nieces. A memorial service will be held to celebrate Helen’s life on February 4th at 11:00 AM at Christ Episcopal Church, 2000 Main Street, Stratford, CT 06615. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Christ Episcopal Church.