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Posted Jul 21, 2025 | 1:52 PM
COFFEY, HELEN ANNE
a librarian at Queen’s
Helen died on July 18, 2025, at AB Smith Homestead House, at the age of 80. She was the beloved only child of Kathleen (McGinnis) and Joseph Coffey. She is survived by many cousins and friends. She will be especially mourned by a cousin, Rosemary Roach, and by her goddaughter and caregiver, Carol Roach.
Helen grew up in Tyendinaga Township, in the hamlets of Lonsdale and Read. She received her Honour B.A. in History from Queen’s in 1966, and her Bachelor of Library Science from University of Toronto in 1969. She worked as a librarian in various parts of the Queen’s Library System for 35 years. She volunteered for over 20 years on various Queen’s Residence Boards, including a two-year stint as Chair of the Royce Board. She was a past president of the Kingston Branch of the Queen’s Alumni Association and of Kingston Newman Alumni.
She was very actively involved in Newman House and St. Thomas More Parish. She was its representative on the Diocesan Pastoral Council, and Chair of the Central Commission of the latter. She was actively involved in Holy Family Parish, Kingston and a member of the Catholic Women’s League for over fifty years.
Helen volunteered as a tutor of English as a Second Language for many years. She volunteered with many organizations over the years and was still on the Council of the Kingston Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society. Her principal hobbies were genealogy and researching family history. She published a history of the Coffey Family and was still working on the McGinnis Family. She also loved travelling, classical and Celtic music concerts, and live theatre.
Guests are invited to the Township Chapel of the Gordon F Tompkins Funeral Homes, 435 Davis Drive, Kingston, for visitation on July 22nd from 4pm-7pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Charles Borromeo Church, 486 Enright Road, Read, on July 23rd at 11am. Memorial donations to St. Charles Borromeo Church, Read, or to a food bank would be appreciated. Online Book of Condolences at www.GFTompkins-Township.ca