Helen Stanley

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has received word of the death of retiree Helen Stanley on October 5, after a period of failing health.  She was 79.

Helen was born in New Bedford, MA, and graduated from New Bedford High School.

Helen began her career at WHOI as a technician in 1962.  In 1963, she transferred to the Biology Department.  In 1966 she became a lab assistant and in 1967 a research assistant.  In 1973 she was promoted to a senior research assistant and retired in 1980.

Helen was a nature enthusiast, and loved classical music, reading, and the arts. She championed many creatures, great and small.

Helen will be remembered for her beauty, intellect, and wicked sense of humor.

Helen was the widow of Robert J. Stanley, and the daughter of the late Frances and Jack McCoy of New Bedford, MA. She is survived by her brother, John McCoy of New Bedford, MA; her sons, Kevin Payne of Alameda, CA; David Payne of Albany, CA; and a sister-in-law, Beatrice Glacken of Wareham, MA.

A memorial of her life will be held in the near future.

Donations to women’s breast cancer research would have been her wish.

Some of the information for this obituary was taken from the Cape Cod Times.