Helen Bauman

Helen Kuncio Bauman, of Macungie, 94 years, 9 months, 12 days of age, passed away on Monday January 22, 2024 at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Allentown, from complications of a fall she sustained on December 8th, 2023. Helen had family by her side during her illness and with her when she passed. She was the widow of Harvey Ernest Bauman (Ernie) with whom she shared 63 years of marriage until his passing in 2014.

Helen was the last surviving child of her Ukrainian immigrant parents, Michael and Yustyna (Terebecka) Kuncio. Helen’s parents journeyed to Allentown, PA around 1912 coming from Paszowa and Zawadka, Galicia, Austria-Hungary. Helen was born at home on the family farm in Macungie, Upper Milford Township in 1929 at the start of the Great Depression. She and her future husband secured a parcel of the Kuncio family estate across the street from her birth home where she remained until her passing. She was predeceased by her infant siblings, Sophia (d 1921) and Michael (d 1927) and her Kuncio brothers and their wives: John d 1988 (Mary Lisi), Stephen d 2008 (Theresa Klucsarits) and Joseph d 2019 (Arlene Malasky).

Helen was baptized and worshiped at Saint Mary’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Allentown. When Helen and Ernie married in 1951, she joined the parish of her husband, Most Blessed Sacrament Church in Bally Pa, where she was a faithful and devoted member for the rest of her life.

Helen was hard-working and industrious from a young age. To assist her parents on the farm, she and her brother Joe would tend the cows. It was Helen’s assigned task to churn butter for the family. She helped her mother in preserving and canning foods such as fruits, vegetables and meats, as well as making jams and jellies. Helen used these skills when she had her own family, and her pantry was always stocked with plenty of delicious, preserved, homegrown foods.

Helen worked in a local orchard as a teenager and then at the shoe factory in Macungie. She later worked at the Collegeville Flag and Costume company. Once Helen had children she did not work outside the home until her son went to kindergarten. She used her sewing talents to make beautiful clothes for her daughters and also their Barbie dolls. She was also highly skilled with the needle arts such as embroidery and crochet, and she created many lovely decorative and functional objects for her home such as tablecloths, pillowcases, doilies, quilts and afghans. Helen kept Ukrainian customs for special holidays. She decorated pysanky (Easter eggs) in the ancient and traditional way of drop/pull method using wax and dyes, a technique which she learned from her mother. She also prepared customary Ukrainian holiday foods for Christmas Eve dinner. Her specialties included homemade halupki, halusky, pierogies, paska and Ukranian nut roll, among others.

When Helen re-entered the workforce, she first worked at McDonald’s, then found true enjoyment at Weis Markets, where she was employed as a cashier and customer service representative for several years. Helen, being very sociable, enjoyed not only customer interaction, but also connected with her coworkers, many of whom she kept in contact with over the years with regular lunch dates, even after she retired in 1994.

Helen delighted in being a homemaker and was committed to her family. The love of her life was Ernie. At 5 o’clock every evening, Helen would have a hot meal prepared for the family when Ernie came home from work, and all would join in a nightly meal.

Helen and Ernie took their family on many wonderful summer vacations and road trips. The family especially enjoyed a regular summer week at the shore at Brigantine, NJ. After retirement Helen and Ernie joined “the Seniors” and enjoyed many exciting trips both within the USA and in Europe. They travelled to Hawaii, took bus trips to NY and out West, and journeyed to Jerusalem as well as Oberammergau, Germany. Helen and Ernie also travelled to France and Poland to visit Helen’s Uncles, Aunts and cousins.

Helen was energetic, diligent, friendly, had a true zest for life and was fiercely independent. She will be greatly missed by her family, as she joyously embraced the role of the family matriarch.

Helen is survived by her children: Cheryl B. Bock and Carl R. Bock of Durham, NC; Donna B. Hensinger and husband Randy of Kempton, PA; Damian E. Bauman and wife Barbie of Middlesex, NJ. There are 7 grandchildren: Rhiannon (James) Ludington; Jiselle, Hallie and Anthony Bock; Magenta and Jade Hensinger and Dylan Bauman; as well as 4 great-grandchildren: Sybil and James Ludington, Caspar Heaney and Liam Barnes.

The family would like to thank the exceptionally kind neighbors of Helen, without whom she could not have remained living independently in her home: especially Steve Gerhard and his wife Barbara Deitrick, Linda and Ed Kline and Colt Hershinger.

Helen’s funeral Mass with be held Monday, January 29, 2024 at 11:00am at Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 610 Pine Street, Bally, PA Viewing will be from 10-11am at the church. Internment will follow in the parish cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Ukrainian History and Education Center of NJ, ukrhec.org or donate to humanitarian aid at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA uocofusa.org. Online condolences may be offered at www.mannslonakerfuneralhome.com