Helen Frances Schreiber

1927 - 2026

Helen Frances (Cook) Schreiber passed into eternal life at Fallbrook Assisted Living in Lincoln, NE on Thursday, October 8, 2026. She was 99. Born in Kempton, MD on May 30, 1927, Helen was the youngest (eighth) child of Nick and Pauline Cook. She graduated from the University of Maryland in 1950 and taught high school Spanish for five years.

She married John Schreiber from Philadelphia, PA, on June 21, 1958. They had four children: Terry Schreiber, Kristin (Schreiber) Schmitt [+], Maura (Schreiber) Schreiner, and Colette (Schreiber) Revelant. Helen had two grandchildren, Jessica and Jared Schreiner, and one great-grandchild, Joe Schreiner. She was married for 57 years until John's passing in 2015.

Funeral arrangements in Lincoln, NE are pending. Private interment will be at Resurrection Catholic Cemetery, Moon Township, PA.

*****

A devout Catholic and lifelong member of the Third Order of St. Francis, Helen believed fervently in the power of prayer: "At this stage of my life there's not too much I can do - but I can pray!" And pray, she did.

Helen loved music and dancing. As a five-year-old in western Maryland, she entertained audiences during intermissions at the town theater, sitting on a stool playing her little accordion. And she continued to play piano by ear all her life.

She was an enthusiastic polka dancer, and was especially partial to Slovenian (or Cleveland) style. In her final years, a walker didn't interfere with polka, it just added flair!

All her life, Helen loved animals. Growing up on a farm, the animals weren't pets, but she grew attached to them anyway. Animals loved her back and, over the years, all her family's pets gravitated immediately to her. She had the most comfortable chair and the best lap!

She was an avid fan of University of Notre Dame football and Pittsburgh Penguins hockey. It wasn't always straightforward to get the TV arranged ("What channel did you say the game is on?"), but it gave her great pleasure to watch.

Her competitive streak wasn't limited to spectator sports. She won a badminton title at University of Maryland, played fierce ping-pong with her kids ("My guardian angel helps me!"), and delighted in winning at Bingo.

With or without a party or a nice dinner, she enjoyed her glass of dry white wine — or, even better, sherry. Her preferred toast: "Salud, pesetas, y amor!" (Health, wealth, and love!)

*****

For most of her life, Helen corresponded with the Poor Clare nuns in Roswell, NM. They were indeed her soul sisters. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Poor Clares. (Poor Clare Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe, 809 E. 19th St., Roswell, NM 88201-7514; www.poorclares-roswell.org>Contact Us>Prayer Requests and Donations)

Helen now bids farewell the same way she ended her family phone calls:

"Bye bye, God bless you... and may we all merrily meet in heaven!"