Helen Elaine Connolly

Helen Elaine Hancock was born in Great Falls, Montana on April 23, 1941. She died in Wheat Ridge, Colorado on September 17, 2026 after an active and productive life. Her cremains will be interred in Highland Cemetery in Great Falls. She will be missed by all who knew her.

Helen’s parents, Cyril Henry Hancock and Nina Grace Twiggs, were school teachers in Great Falls. They had three other children in addition to Helen: Cyril Malcolm (Mal), Alice Jane, and John Henry Hancock. All except John Henry preceded Helen in death, as did her parents. Helen is survived by her husband Guy, their children, David Connolly of Hilliard, Ohio and Karen Connolly, Broomfield, Colorado, their children’s spouses Mona Connolly and Pamela Archer as well as David and Mona’s children Jocelyn Connolly and Madeleine Demetriades.

Following high school graduation, Helen entered the University of Montana, Missoula, as a music major. She played cello, piano, and organ. She met her husband Guy Connolly in the Missoula Symphony Orchestra where she played cello and he played French horn. They soon became engaged and made plans to marry when Guy graduated from the School of Forestry. During their college years, both worked at the Chimney Corner Restaurant near the UM campus.

Helen and Guy married in Missoula, Montana on June 8, 1961 and moved to eastern Oregon where Guy was employed as a Wildlife Biologist at the Malheur Wildlife Refuge. Over the years his wildlife career took them to Lakeview, Oregon; Hopland, California; Twin Falls, Idaho; and eventually to their final home in Lakewood, Colorado. Wherever they lived they played in community orchestras, finally retiring from the Jefferson Symphony Orchestra in 2024.

Helen was a Methodist church organist for most of her life. She served 25 years as organist at Wheat Ridge UMC. Earlier she had played for congregations in Great Falls, Montana; Lakeview, Oregon; Ukiah, California; Twin Falls, Idaho; and Boulder, Colorado. She earned an AA Library Science degree at College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls and later finished her BA in Fine Arts at Boise State University. She worked as a library technician and music instructor for the College of Southern Idaho and later as periodicals technician at Iliff School of Theology in Denver.

In retirement, Helen and Guy enjoyed many road trips to visit family and other attractions including historic churches and pipe organs, Texas Courthouses, record stores, favorite restaurants, and family historic sites across the United States.