Helen Presley

Helen Presley,a long time, Brampton resident and business owner passed away on Sun., Oct 4th , 2020.

Helen had a life-long love of all things flora. She equally enjoyed interacting with people from all walks of life and did her best to make their special occasions most memorable thru her business, Artistry In Flowers.

Helen grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan with her 11 siblings. At 18 she sought to discover the rest of the world and make her mark in it, initially moving to Toronto. There, she met and married. Eventually, she had two boys and all settled in Brampton. Her love of flowers and gardening drew her to employment at greenhouses and a shop just down the street. She worked there until age 59 when she opened up her own shop, Artistry In Flowers. For the next 30 years she provided happiness in the products she purveyed; plants, cut flowers, and arrangements of her imagination. She was energized by the company of those that worked with her and developed eternal friendships with repeat customers.

Helen is survived by her son James (Laurie) and their two daughters, Marina (Nikhil) and Helenna; her other son Jeffrey; her brothers Edward, Henry and Michael; sisters Jessie, Phyllis and Rose. She is predeceased by her parents Michael and Bronislawa; husband John Presley; brothers Steven, Stanley and Richard; sisters Jeanne, Irene, and Alfreda.

In consideration of Covid imposed circumstances there will be no visitation nor service for Helen. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, one may donate to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or Sick Kids Foundation.


EULOGY


With the dawn of each new day, we hope to further enrich our lives through individual experience, as well as, existing relationships with family and friends. If fortune favours us we expand our circle of friends and welcome new offspring into this world, and so, our lives. Sometimes though, those we know must leave our realm to embark on a new adventure in the next one.

So it is with the passing of Helen Elaine Presley. On these occasions, and at this time, we gather together in whatever manner, to reflect on and celebrate her life. As fate would have it we aren’t able to safely group to appreciate Helen, but can still honour her in our own way, whether individually or together, however we can manage it.

To understand Helen and her contribution to our lives is to know what inspired her and gave her joy. She grew up on a newly settled, farm in Saskatchewan, as the oldest child of her immigrant parents; in a family that eventually expanded to 11 siblings. At their new home, there were always after-school chores to do, in breaking the land, planting and harvesting crops, along with livestock to tend to. Not to mention helping her parents care for her new siblings. Some work was pleasure for her. As she always enjoyed encouraging their extensive garden beside the house. Still, there were times when Helen would break from designated duties.

When possible –when her mother wasn’t looking- she would grab a book and escape into the woods to settle beside a tree and read. Immersed in the beauty of her surroundings and another world in the pages before her, she could easily become lost in time. Sometimes willfully -ignoring the calls of her mother to return to the house- until she finished a particularly consuming passage.

It was the experience of others’ lives in wondrous places that drew her to explore outside of her immediate world. So, at 18, she left home to travel halfway across the country to the biggest city –Toronto. There she met her husband to be. Eventually they had two boys and settled in Brampton (“Flowertown”).

It was her love of nature, particularly all forms of flora, that drew her to employment at a ‘greenhoused’, flower shop a short walk from her new home in Flowertown. Over the years there she learned how to turn a pleasure into profit. At the same time she was attentive to keep her sons along a path to prosperity and happiness, while nurturing a loving relationship with husband. Ultimately, at age 59, she struck out on her own, opening a new, floral shop, Artistry In Flowers.

There, until she was 89, it gave her great joy to meet customers and other retailers, from all walks of life. From which eternal friendships flowed. She took much delight in helping make people’s special occasions happy ones; full of fragrance to remember by and beautiful to behold. She felt a responsibility to mentor many, young employees that she took in, or just help guide new ones. The memories held by those ‘floral formed friends’ and the employees that became friends, these are an important part of her legacy.

Helen’s love of flowers was second only to her love for her family. She was a loving but firm and supportive mother, and she always delighted in hearing about her family’s adventures and accomplishments. She loved to explore and be outdoors. She had many happy memories of road trips with her husband John and joked about being a motorcycle Mama on the back of his Harley. Helen had a great sense of humor and enjoyed laughing about the silly side of life. She was always extremely interested in getting to know other people and learning their life stories. To that end, she looked forward to attending the Brampton Multicultural Festival each summer. There are few who can rival Helen’s work ethic, which began with helping out at home on the farm while growing up, then working 2 jobs to support her sons, and putting in 16-hour days for 30 years at her flower shop, at an age when many others are enjoying a relaxing retirement. It is Helen’s strength, determination, independence, and a healthy dose of stubbornness that helped her be successful and allowed her to support her community in such a meaningful way.

As we remember times past with Helen, we can imagine that she is now tending to God’s garden. From which she can draw any flora dreamt of, to arrange into designs of her imagination and creativity; to festoon her new realm with. She would aid in welcoming new souls with the familiar fragrances of ever-fresh flowers from occasions that brought them happiness in their past lives...while they reconnect with those that went before them. This is where Helen will respond to her mother’s call and finally come home.