HELEN VIRGINIA MASTROIANNI SWINNERTON KRIEGEL's Obituary
Helen Virginia Mastroianni Swinnerton Kriegel
Died peacefully in her home on Feb 11, 2023. She was 91 years old.
She was born Helen Virginia Mastroianni on April 4, 1931, in Alliance Ohio & was the youngest of three siblings (Joseph & Maria) of parents Rose & Philip Mastroianni.
She grew up in Alliance, Ohio, and married her high school sweetheart John (Jack) W. Swinnerton and three years later left Alliance and moved to St. College, PA with their first daughter. After Jack received his PhD from Penn State, they relocated to Alexandria VA with their than 2 daughters for a position with the Naval Research Lab. Shortly thereafter their 3rd daughter was born. Helen and Jack resided the rest of their lives in Northern Virginia.
Helen was an involved, committed, and loving mother. Actively engaged in her three daughters’ lives up until her passing. In addition to being an exemplary mother, she was also a dedicated wife, friend, and neighbor. She believed in the importance of family traditions which were evident in every holiday and birthday gatherings, her many dinner parties focusing on her “famous” baking and culinary skills including all the decor & trimmings.
Helen often had to hold down the fort during Jack’s extended oceanographic trips and maintained singlehandedly all that was necessary for her children and household. Which she seemed to do with ease.
After a long battle with Parkinson’s, Helen’s first husband-Jack passed away November 29, 1985.
She was fortunate to meet and remarry, Richard (Dick) Kriegel. And enjoyed many happy years together entertaining friends, traveling and snow birding in Naples. FL
Helen’s greatest joy was her three daughters, granddaughters, and great grandchildren.
She was blessed to be actively involved with all of her granddaughters’ lives since living close by and “Nana’s” impact on them will continue forever.
She is preceded in death by her first husband “Jack”, her second husband “Dick”, her parents Philip & Rose Mastroianni; her brother Joseph Mastroianni; sister Marie Sorge. She is Survived by her children; Denise, (Patrick Sheehan), Lisa, Susan and by her granddaughters, Katie Rose (Alex Jeffers), Sasha, Tatiana and Elly, as well as her two great grandchildren, Liam & Harper Rose.
A Celebration of her Life will be held for family and friends on Monday February 20th from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm, at the Loudoun Funeral Chapel located at 158 Catoctin Circle, SE, Leesburg, VA 20175. A funeral Mass will take place at St Theresa’s Catholic Church on Tuesday, February 21st at 11:00 am located at 21371 St Theresa Lane, Ashburn, VA 20147. Her ashes will be interred with Jack, in the Fairfax Memorial Park at a later date.
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