HELEN ELIZABETH KAHRS

ADDISON — Helen Kahrs of West Addison Vt., passed away on Nov. 3, 2023, after a struggle with dementia. She was 89.

Born in Albany, N.Y., into a Catholic family with six sisters, Helen moved frequently in her childhood, living primarily in Burlington, Vt., and Troy, N.Y. She attended SUNY Oneonta. Early in her career she found a teaching position in a two-room schoolhouse. (Having slightly more experience than the other teacher, she became the principal). Helen met her husband, Edward Kahrs in Lake Placid in 1959 and they were married six months later, moving to Grand Isle in the Niagara Falls region to start a family. In 1968, finding promising teaching jobs for both Helen and Ed in Orange and Rockland County, the family moved to the Hudson Valley, residing in Highland Mills for many years.

Helen spent 14 years instructing first graders at Lee Road School in Cornwall, then left to start a new adventure: founding the Butterhill Day School. The daycare center expanded to several locations, becoming the standard bearer for childcare in the area.

Helen retired from education in 1999, relocating to West Addison, Vt., where she and Edward resided for over twenty years, unbothered by the harsh winters.

She is survived by her three children, Larry, Lee and John. ◊