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“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience”. Teilhard de Chardin

Helen Gene Hebrank Kitzman was born Oct. 25, 1945, and passed away peacefully on April 16 at the age of 74. Helen is survived by her devoted husband of 49 years, Richard Allen Kitzman, their son Geoffrey Allen Kitzman (Kelly), and two grandsons, Edward William Kitzman and Winston Robert Kitzman. Helen is also survived by her siblings Georganne Hebrank Hughes (Mark), William “Bill” R. Hebrank, and Janet Wilkinson; a nephew, Benjamin E. Hughes (Emily); and a cousin, Suzanne Bird Duncan (Kevin).

She was preceded in death by her parents, Eugene F. Hebrank and Lois Crothers Hebrank, and a special Aunt Katherine Crothers Bird.

Helen was born in Annapolis, Maryland and raised in Urbana, Illinois, along with her siblings. Helen’s father was a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Illinois and with Helen’s mother, a homemaker, encouraged their children to pursue higher education. Despite suffering from polio as a child, Helen lived a full life as wife, mother, grandmother, sister, history scholar, accomplished professional, and a friend to many.

Helen had a lifelong love of learning. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts with a BA and earned her master of arts and PhD in British History from the University of Minnesota. While in graduate school Helen met her future husband Dick. The two were married in 1971 and embarked on a 49-year partnership that centered on their love for family and travel. After marrying they lived abroad for four years including a year performing research at the University of Manchester in England and traveling around the British Isles.

This was followed by a three-month Eurorail pass around the continent. Then they spent three years in Australia teaching and traveling extensively. To return to the United States, they traveled mostly over land through Southeast Asia and South Asia and through Iran, Turkey, Egypt, and across Europe. After arriving in New England, Helen accepted a position at the Affirmative Action office at Yale University.

In 1978 Helen and Dick moved to New Orleans when she became Head of the Affirmative Action office at Tulane University. They welcomed their son Geoffrey in 1980. Helen remained at Tulane in various administrative positions for nearly thirty years. Most recently, Helen worked as a consultant to National Medical Fellowships which provides scholarship and support to under-represented minorities in the health professions.

Upon retirement, Helen and Dick divided their time between Madison and New Orleans, Louisiana. Helen was a devoted member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Madison and of Trinity Episcopal Church in New Orleans. One of Helen’s great passions was reading and being around books and libraries. She had a great love of literature. She was a dedicated volunteer at the book sales at the Scranton Library in Madison and she organized the book room at St. Andrew’s annual Holiday Fair for many years. In New Orleans she worked with the book room at Trinity’s semi-annual rummage sale. She even helped her good friends in Kennebunk, Maine organize their stock of books for their murder mystery book store. She loved murder mysteries and usually read two or three books a week. She also enjoyed Masterpiece Theater on PBS and similar programs.

After retiring Helen and Dick continued to travel. They crisscrossed the United States driving Route 66, along the Oregon Trail, Louis and Clark Trail, Lincoln Highway, Pacific Coast Highway, and US 1 from Maine to Key West. Their travels always included spending time with Helen’s brother Bill, in Miami, Florida and her sister Georganne and her husband Mark in Mississippi. They took several trips to Europe. Helen and Dick imparted their love of travel to Geoffrey. Many of their trips were taken as a family.

Helen was a very spiritual person and was committed to the Christian faith, which she exemplified by adhering to the commandment “Love God, Love your neighbor.” She was open in expressing her faith and feelings in particular as they related to her care and concern for her fellow human beings, especially the less fortunate and the marginalized. She had a deep love and dedication to her family and friends. Because she was an affirmative person, she was a force of positive energy. She was filled with wit, wisdom, and intelligence, as well as having a marvelous sense of humor. She is missed by all who knew her and whom she touched.

In lieu of flowers the family asks you consider a donation to one of Helen’s favorite organizations, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 232 Durham Rd., Madison, CT 06443, Vincent Memorial Legacy Corps at Trinity Episcopal Church, 1329 Jackson Ave., New Orleans, LA 70130, or the Scranton Memorial Library, 1250 Durham Rd., Madison, CT 06443. Services will be held at a later date.