Helen Starner Larocca, 94, passed away September 17, 2013, at St. Mary's East in Erie, Pennsylvania. Daughter of William and Gertrude Werner Starner, Helen was born December 27, 1918 in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. A 1937 graduate of Stow High School, Helen lived in Cuyahoga Falls until 1972 when she and her late husband, Frank, moved to Florida. She remained in Bonita Springs, Florida, where she was a member of St. Leo's Church, until 2007 when she moved to Erie, Pennsylvania, to be near her daughter. Helen is survived by her daughter, Angie Kontur, of Erie; granddaughters Constance (Gregory) Dalvito of New York City, and Gina Kontur of Erie; great grandchildren Amelia, Jamie and Charlotte Dalvito of New York City; sister and brother-in-law Grace and John Morrison of Akron, Ohio; brother Ralph Starner of Akron; brother-in-law Pete LaRocca of Cuyahoga Falls and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents and her husband of 55 years, Frank, she was preceded in death by siblings Charles, Marie, George, Loretta, Edward, James, Robert, Mary Jane, Martha and Walter and son-in-law James Kontur.

Helen's passion in life was traveling, from an autumn hike in the woods to a cruise around the horn of South America. She visited six continents and loved adventure whether it be hot air ballooning, swimming with dolphins, flying in a glider or climbing Ayers Rock in Australia. At age 75 she hopped on the back of a snowmobile with her daughter and rode the 150 mile circuit of Yellowstone National Park in one day. At age 85 she rode a camel in Egypt and climbed the Great Wall of China. When she was home at her beloved Bonita Beach condo she could be seen every morning at the crack of dawn briskly walking five miles on the beach. She continued doing this until she suffered a stroke nearing her 89th birthday.

Published in The News-Press on September 22, 2013