Helen M. (Toner) Wilkerson, 82 years old, of South Dennis, MA peacefully left us on December 26, 2022, following a several months long fight with cancer.

Born in Brooklyn, NY on January 22, 1940, Helen was preceded in death by her parents William E. Toner, who lived to be 89, and Helen (Beatty) Toner who lived to be 94. Raised in New Haven and West Haven, CT and Longmeadow, MA  Helen was a proud graduate of Cathedral High School, Springfield, MA class of 1957.
 
Helen lived in Texas and Indiana for 27 years before returning to Massachusetts and settling on Cape Cod.  For over 35 years, she worked for the Town of Dennis in various capacities including transfer station gatekeeper, town hall receptionist, police matron, and election worker.  In her longtime role as gatekeeper, by public vote she was awarded the Cape Cod Register’s Town Employee of the Year Awards many times. As a dedicated Dennis citizen, Helen volunteered or was appointed to the Charles E. Chamberlain Jr. Parkway Study Committee, the Insurance Advisory Committee, and the Conservation Land Trust, among many others.

Helen was an enduring supporter of law enforcement and first responders.  In addition to working as matron for Dennis Police, she served in the same role for the Town of Yarmouth, volunteered as a member of Dennis Police Citizen’s Police Academy, and as a Barnstable County Deputy Sheriff.  After years of assisting the Dennis Fire Department in various capacities, Helen was selected to read the Firemen’s Prayer for the new Route 28 fire station dedication.  Her proudest work with first responders was assisting members of the Dennis Fire Department in hosting families of fallen 9/11 fire fighters for annual Cape Cod vacations.

A voracious and knowledgeable sports fan, Helen’s love of competition started listening to boxing matches on radio in the 1940s and 50s with her father.  Quickly her passion spread, particularly to baseball and football.  A decades long Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers fan, Helen over the years attended many games at both their team training facility in Vero Beach, FL and at Dodger Stadium in LA. A highlight of her love for the Dodgers was attending their 2020 World Series championship with her son Timothy.  As a New York Giants fan, Helen enjoyed wearing her beloved Eli Manning jersey around Cape Cod much to the ire of her family and other Patriots fans.

Helen was well known for her selflessness, sense of humor and never meeting a stranger, an incarnate display of her Irish heritage. She possessed an uncanny ability to make long lasting relationships with close friends, neighbors, co-workers, public figures, very frequently those in need, and sometimes through chance encounters.

Helen was most proud of her role as a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She is survived by her children Janet Thelen and her husband, Keith of Adkins, TX, David Wilkerson and his wife, Trayce of Fort Worth, TX and Timothy Wilkerson of Revere Beach, MA; her sister MaryAnne Wright of Fort Worth, TX and her brother William Toner and his wife, Caroline of Longmeadow, MA; three granddaughters, six great grandchildren; her many nieces and nephews and several cousins.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated in her honor on Thursday, January 19 at 11:00 A.M. at Our Lady of the Cape Church, Stony Brook Rd., Brewster, MA where she was a faithful parishioner and longtime volunteer.

Helen’s family welcomes contributions in her memory, in lieu of flowers, to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN,  Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette, Attleboro, MA, or Georgetown Preparatory School, North Bethesda, MD.
 
 
 

My husband and I met Helen over 24 years ago at the transfer station when we moved to Dennis. We became instant friends. Everytime my husband caught bluefish or striped bass, he would filet them, and bring them to her in a cooler, she loved it. She was one of the nicest, friendliest people we ever had the pleasure of meeting.We we're very blessed having known her. R.I.P. dear friend