Helen Dreyer

1931 - 2025

Helen Dreyer, a resident of New Hyde Park and a parishioner of Notre Dame Parish for 54 years, passed away on December 4th, 2025, surrounded by her family. Helen was the devoted wife to her late husband, Frederick Dreyer, and cherished mother of Walter Dreyer (Patricia), Douglas Dreyer (Mary Jayne), Thomas Dreyer (Patricia), Jeanine Bottenus (Richard), Karen O’Regan (Frank) and Melissa Streiber (Kenneth). She is survived by sixteen grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren, all of whom brought her immense pride and joy. She is predeceased by her parents, Herman and Barbara Schmees, and her younger brother, Robert Schmees.

Helen was born on July 9th, 1931, in Akron, Ohio. The family moved to New York in 1944, where Helen later graduated from Jamaica High School and met the love of her life, Frederick Dreyer. The couple was married in 1951. In 1952, Helen and Frederick began building their family, with the birth of their first son, Walter. Helen believed that her family was her greatest accomplishment and fully embraced motherhood, guiding all six of her children with patience, strength and unwavering love.

After Frederick’s sudden passing in 1979, Helen was faced with the challenge of providing for her family, a challenge she met with unwavering resilience and determination. Fortified by her faith and guided by God’s teachings, she worked tirelessly to support her family, working as an Executive Assistant at Queensboro Community College. Although proud of her successful career, Helen retired at the age of 70 to pursue her true calling, enjoying and supporting her family.

Helen adored her family, the true pride and joy of her life. That pride and joy grew in 1986 when she was blessed and delighted by the birth of her first grandchild, John. The decades that followed were filled with sporting events, plays and recitals for her 16 grandchildren. She never missed a birthday, graduation, or wedding. In 2019 Helen became a great-grandmother with the birth of James (Jimmy). She will always be remembered for the deep love and support she held for her family, which she cherished above all else.

Knitting was her favorite pastime and became the purest expression of her love, knitting over 75 Irish sweaters for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Stitched with love and patience, these sweaters exemplified Helen’s greatest qualities: unwavering determination, unending perseverance and the unwillingness to accept anything short of perfection. With her loving hands she sewed her daughter’s wedding dress, and countless graduation and communion dresses.

Helen spent her retirement surrounded by her loving family where she was a formidable opponent in Scrabble, Rummikub, and Jeopardy, where her sharp intellect often helped her win by large margins. She taught all her grandchildren how to play Pinochle and Bridge and would often play with friends at the local library.

Helen was a courageous, fiercely independent, capable, and loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who always brought warmth, honesty, and grace to every room she entered. She was pure of heart, grounded in her faith, and fought through life’s challenges with a positive attitude and elegance rooted in her deep love of God and her family. She will be dearly missed by her family, and by all who knew her. She can now rest in the peace of God’s love.

The family asks, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to one of these charities: Angelashouse.org - Caring for Medically Fragile Children

StJude.org - Children’s Research Hospital

GuidingEyes.org - Guiding eye dogs for the blind

VISITATION

Wednesday, December 10 4:00 - 8:00 PM

New Hyde Park Funeral Home 506 Lakeville Road, New Hyde Park, NY

MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL

Thursday, December 11

9:30 AM

Notre Dame R.C. Church

5 Mayfair Road, New Hyde Park, NY

INTERMENT

Calvary Cemetery 49-02 Laurel Hill Boulevard, Woodside, NY