Helen Urban

Urban, Helen C SCHENECTADY


Helen passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, July 25th, 2023, surrounded by the love of her family and loyal dog, Koko. Helen was a lifelong member of Bellevue Reformed Church. She was comforted by the thought of being reunited with her loved ones in Heaven. Helen felt a strong spiritual connection to Jesus and the power of prayer. Her feisty spirit , along with the steadfast devotion of her family, served her well as she pushed through several physical setbacks in her later years. She was determined to participate in as much family fun as possible and that she did! Her family and friends will miss sharing in life’s everyday routines and celebrations.


Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Stephen J. Urban, Jr., her parents Robert and Marion Cunningham and a brother, Alexander, who passed away in Scotland at the age of 3, before she was born. Helen chose not to travel abroad in her later years but if she had, she would have returned to Scotland to visit her brother’s final resting place. To her great joy, her grandson, Vincent Alexander, found Alex’s gravestone while on a Sobkowich family vacation in Scotland.


Helen is survived by her three daughters; Cheryl Urban-Wessinger (David), Susan Sobkowich (Robert) and Lynn Butler (Jeff). She was a loving grandmother to seven grandchildren; Robert Sobkowich (Kirsten), Anthony Sobkowich (Victoria), Vincent Sobkowich (Danielle), Kayla Lupi, Cassandra Lupi , Taylor Lupi and Sarah Bovee (Andrew). She felt incredibly fortunate to have spent time with her great grandchildren; Charles, Nolan, and Hannah Sobkowich and Isabella and Sedric Franklin. As she chatted about leaving this earthly world, one of her greatest regrets was that she would have loved to see the little ones grow up. She is also survived by a dear niece, Stephanie Barrett, and several other nieces and nephews. Helen left behind her canine companion, Koko, who provided her with love and comfort for the last 13 years.


Helen was born on July 8th, 1931, in Schenectady, NY. At the time of her birth she became a bit of a local celebrity, being the first baby born at the original Bellevue Maternity Hospital. She was honored to welcome special milestone babies over the years. After graduating from Draper High School in 1947, Helen worked in a secretarial position at General Electric in Schenectady. She enjoyed reminiscing about these good old days, filled with trips with friends to NYC on weekends, great music, plenty of dancing and an adult beverage or two.


Helen and Stephen (Steve) were married on May 7th, 1955. They settled into what became the family home and welcomed the birth of three daughters. Over the years, they added numerous pets to include fish, parakeets, finches, frogs, a large white rabbit ,several well loved dogs and before Koko’s arrival, Helen’s dearly loved cat, Corky. While primarily a homemaker, Helen enjoyed working part time at Stewart’s, Macy’s and the YWCA aquatic department. She brought a smile to each job and genuinely enjoyed chatting with everyone that she met along the way. Wherever she went and in whatever she did, a story was sure to follow!




Following the death of her dear husband, Steve, she was happiest when spending time with family. As her family grew, Helen could be found attending and supporting her grandchildren in all that they did, whether a sporting event, school activity, holiday celebration, medical appointment or just hanging around the house doing crafts. She will be remembered for her steadfast presence, cheering on her grandchildren in any way that she could. Over the years, she met many wonderful people that added so much to her life story! The memories, photos and stories that were documented will be shared, with love, for generations to come.


Helen was a fun-loving soul who was always up for an adventure. She was game for most anything not involving heights, although there was once a story of how she was convinced, by her grandchildren, to inch her way out onto the observation deck at South of the Border on her way to Myrtle Beach. Or was that at the Empire State Building? Car races with her friend Val, family camping trips, Proctor’s shows, Schenectady Civic plays, music festivals, shopping.... She was ready to go! She especially loved family celebrations which were rich with laughter, the building of traditions and great food! There was nothing better than favorites from the barbecue (steak), her famous potato salad and a hot fudge sundae!


She was an avid supporter of her New York sports teams, the Giants and the Yankees. As the family football pool co-administrator, she made it her mission to remind us of when our picks needed to be made. Helen took her job very seriously! As the years rolled on, she was willing to sit back and delegate with the same drive to get the job done. She also loved the friendly competition that she shared with her pal, Rosie, who was a die hard Mets fan.


Helen enjoyed volunteering at the WMHT auction and she often enlisted her daughters to join her. She enjoyed the camaraderie of the gals that she had lunch with from her high school years and was active in several senior bowling leagues.


Anything involving a bet, a beer and a possible win was worth doing! Throughout the years, she loved playing bingo. Early on, at local bingo halls and most recently in her home with family. She enjoyed going to the track with her daughters/niece and to the casinos, wherever they may be; Saratoga, Atlantic City, Las Vegas. There was an epic family adventure to Las Vegas one year and most recently an overnight trip to the Saratoga Racino. As the years passed, she traveled less and Rivers Casino became her “happy place”. Her daughter, Sue, took her a few times a month which gave her “purpose” as she planned days in advance for those outings. Amazingly, she was able to celebrate her 92nd birthday there; betting a bit, enjoying a cold draft beer and getting to say hi to her favorite bartender, Anthony.


If not a casino, her happy place was any place near water. She loved riding around in the countryside and ending up at a nearby river or lake for a picnic. From her birth until her 90th year, she visited the ocean along the eastern coast each year, joining her family on vacations from Maine to the Florida Keys. Helen enjoyed these yearly vacations where memories were made and she could sit back and enjoy the waves. Earlier in life, she might have been out in a small dinghy, with her dad and Uncle Charlie, fishing for dinner.


When asked what she would title her autobiography, she replied, “It’s been a hell of a ride!” Her family agrees! She would not want folks to linger in sorrow for long. Instead, keep the stories alive, remember the fond times, relive the laughs (so many), and lift a glass and toast to the future.


We are grateful for our mom’s earth angels: Community Hospice (Lori, RN), Meals on Wheels, Copper Bottomed Home Care, LTD (Stephanie/Erin), Dr. Piacentine, Dr. Lisinschi, Dr. Harbeck, Lisa and Doug (neighbors).


In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to:
St. Jude's Children’s Research Hospital stjude.org
Shriner’s Children’s Hospital donate.lovetotherescue.org


Relatives and friends are invited to celebrate Helen’s life and visit with her family on Friday, August 4, 2023, from 11-12, with a service immediately following at the Bond Funeral Home, 1614 Guilderland Avenue, Schenectady. Burial will follow at Memory Gardens in Colonie.