Helen Hardy Kraybill, 80, of 960 Benham St., died Wednesday, May 15, 2002, at CT Hospice, Branford, after a brief illness. She was the wife of Henry Kraybill, retired Professor of Physics, at Yale University. She was born in Terrell, Texas, daughter of the late Vessie and Olga DeAlva Wall.
A talented and creative person, she pursued lifelong interests in art, theatre and music, and was also an accomplished singer. During the War, before her marriage, she attended the Art Institute of Chicago. She painted, created beautiful jewelry and ceramics. A member of Little Theatre groups in the 1950's, she was involved in the Yale Drama production of "Harvey" - among others. After attending the Manhattan School of Music in New York and several Master Classes on theatre direction for Opera in the USA and Europe, she returned to New Haven and opened the Total Theatre Group, focusing on Community Theatre for aspiring local performers. The group performed several Broadway musicals including "The Sound of Music" and the "Fantastiks" and produced one-act operas for Opera on the Green. She was the roving Theatre and Opera critic for the New Haven Register, reviewing local and New York productions. In the mid-'70's she opened "The Prop Shop;" in Hamden and specialized in "Custom Ensembles" for private rental, and costumes and stage properties for local and college theatres. They were all handmade or assembled and garnered many prizes and accolades. She resided in Vienna, Austria during the late 1970's, and taught courses on "Theatre in Opera" and opera appreciation at the American School in Vienna.
Family concerns had her move her business to Texas. Ill health caused her to retire in 1998 and return to Hamden in 1999.
She is survived by her loving husband, Henry Lawrence Kraybill; two children, April R. Cervero and husband, Anthony Cervero of Wallingford and Robert H. G. Kraybill and wife, Christina Kraybill of Pennsylvania; one grandson, Michael G. Lewis of Milford; one brother, Vessie Hardy and wife, Jean Hardy of Texas; a niece and nephew; four grandnieces; one grandnephew; and her beloved cats.
A memorial service will be held at Beecher & Bennett, 2300 Whitney Ave., Hamden, Wednesday, May 22, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the A.S.P.C.A., 424 East 92nd Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10128.
Record-Journal (Meriden, CT) - Sunday, May 19, 2002
A talented and creative person, she pursued lifelong interests in art, theatre and music, and was also an accomplished singer. During the War, before her marriage, she attended the Art Institute of Chicago. She painted, created beautiful jewelry and ceramics. A member of Little Theatre groups in the 1950's, she was involved in the Yale Drama production of "Harvey" - among others. After attending the Manhattan School of Music in New York and several Master Classes on theatre direction for Opera in the USA and Europe, she returned to New Haven and opened the Total Theatre Group, focusing on Community Theatre for aspiring local performers. The group performed several Broadway musicals including "The Sound of Music" and the "Fantastiks" and produced one-act operas for Opera on the Green. She was the roving Theatre and Opera critic for the New Haven Register, reviewing local and New York productions. In the mid-'70's she opened "The Prop Shop;" in Hamden and specialized in "Custom Ensembles" for private rental, and costumes and stage properties for local and college theatres. They were all handmade or assembled and garnered many prizes and accolades. She resided in Vienna, Austria during the late 1970's, and taught courses on "Theatre in Opera" and opera appreciation at the American School in Vienna.
Family concerns had her move her business to Texas. Ill health caused her to retire in 1998 and return to Hamden in 1999.
She is survived by her loving husband, Henry Lawrence Kraybill; two children, April R. Cervero and husband, Anthony Cervero of Wallingford and Robert H. G. Kraybill and wife, Christina Kraybill of Pennsylvania; one grandson, Michael G. Lewis of Milford; one brother, Vessie Hardy and wife, Jean Hardy of Texas; a niece and nephew; four grandnieces; one grandnephew; and her beloved cats.
A memorial service will be held at Beecher & Bennett, 2300 Whitney Ave., Hamden, Wednesday, May 22, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the A.S.P.C.A., 424 East 92nd Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10128.
Record-Journal (Meriden, CT) - Sunday, May 19, 2002
Helen Hardy Kraybill, 80, of 960 Benham St., died Wednesday, May 15, 2002, at CT Hospice, Branford, after a brief illness. She was the wife of Henry Kraybill, retired Professor of Physics, at Yale University. She was born in Terrell, Texas, daughter of the late Vessie and Olga DeAlva Wall.
A talented and creative person, she pursued lifelong interests in art, theatre and music, and was also an accomplished singer. During the War, before her marriage, she attended the Art Institute of Chicago. She painted, created beautiful jewelry and ceramics. A member of Little Theatre groups in the 1950's, she was involved in the Yale Drama production of "Harvey" - among others. After attending the Manhattan School of Music in New York and several Master Classes on theatre direction for Opera in the USA and Europe, she returned to New Haven and opened the Total Theatre Group, focusing on Community Theatre for aspiring local performers. The group performed several Broadway musicals including "The Sound of Music" and the "Fantastiks" and produced one-act operas for Opera on the Green. She was the roving Theatre and Opera critic for the New Haven Register, reviewing local and New York productions. In the mid-'70's she opened "The Prop Shop;" in Hamden and specialized in "Custom Ensembles" for private rental, and costumes and stage properties for local and college theatres. They were all handmade or assembled and garnered many prizes and accolades. She resided in Vienna, Austria during the late 1970's, and taught courses on "Theatre in Opera" and opera appreciation at the American School in Vienna.
Family concerns had her move her business to Texas. Ill health caused her to retire in 1998 and return to Hamden in 1999.
She is survived by her loving husband, Henry Lawrence Kraybill; two children, April R. Cervero and husband, Anthony Cervero of Wallingford and Robert H. G. Kraybill and wife, Christina Kraybill of Pennsylvania; one grandson, Michael G. Lewis of Milford; one brother, Vessie Hardy and wife, Jean Hardy of Texas; a niece and nephew; four grandnieces; one grandnephew; and her beloved cats.
A memorial service will be held at Beecher & Bennett, 2300 Whitney Ave., Hamden, Wednesday, May 22, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the A.S.P.C.A., 424 East 92nd Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10128.
Record-Journal (Meriden, CT) - Sunday, May 19, 2002
A talented and creative person, she pursued lifelong interests in art, theatre and music, and was also an accomplished singer. During the War, before her marriage, she attended the Art Institute of Chicago. She painted, created beautiful jewelry and ceramics. A member of Little Theatre groups in the 1950's, she was involved in the Yale Drama production of "Harvey" - among others. After attending the Manhattan School of Music in New York and several Master Classes on theatre direction for Opera in the USA and Europe, she returned to New Haven and opened the Total Theatre Group, focusing on Community Theatre for aspiring local performers. The group performed several Broadway musicals including "The Sound of Music" and the "Fantastiks" and produced one-act operas for Opera on the Green. She was the roving Theatre and Opera critic for the New Haven Register, reviewing local and New York productions. In the mid-'70's she opened "The Prop Shop;" in Hamden and specialized in "Custom Ensembles" for private rental, and costumes and stage properties for local and college theatres. They were all handmade or assembled and garnered many prizes and accolades. She resided in Vienna, Austria during the late 1970's, and taught courses on "Theatre in Opera" and opera appreciation at the American School in Vienna.
Family concerns had her move her business to Texas. Ill health caused her to retire in 1998 and return to Hamden in 1999.
She is survived by her loving husband, Henry Lawrence Kraybill; two children, April R. Cervero and husband, Anthony Cervero of Wallingford and Robert H. G. Kraybill and wife, Christina Kraybill of Pennsylvania; one grandson, Michael G. Lewis of Milford; one brother, Vessie Hardy and wife, Jean Hardy of Texas; a niece and nephew; four grandnieces; one grandnephew; and her beloved cats.
A memorial service will be held at Beecher & Bennett, 2300 Whitney Ave., Hamden, Wednesday, May 22, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the A.S.P.C.A., 424 East 92nd Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10128.
Record-Journal (Meriden, CT) - Sunday, May 19, 2002
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