SOUTHERN SHORES — 
Helen Kirby Gidjunis, 94 years young, passed on to her reward with Jesus on Tuesday, September 8th, 2020 surrounded by family in Southern Shores, NC as the result of recent heart failure.
She was born in West Philadelphia on August 21st, 1926… the only child of William Kirby and Helen Woelfel Kirby. She is predeceased by her husband of 58 years, Joseph (Knute) Gidjunis, who passed in 2008. She will be greatly missed by her children: Joseph Gidjunis (Peg Adams), Carol Hayhoe (Michael), and Mark Gidjunis (Donna), her grandchildren: Laura Saxton (Bryan), Michael Hayhoe, Joseph Gidjunis (Rebecca), Mark Robert Gidjunis (Lindsey), Nicholas Gidjunis and Catherine Gidjunis as well as great-grandchildren: Noelle and Kellen Saxton, Gabriel Gidjunis and Olivia Gidjunis.
Helen was a graduate of Germantown High School in North Philadelphia and worked as a clerk for Penn Mutual Insurance and as a Montessori Assistant teacher while chauffeuring the many ball teams of her kids… sometimes having an entire baseball team, coach and score keeper in one car. Knute coached many teams over the years and Helen loved watching her kids play on the neighborhood teams and was a huge fan of the Phillies and the Eagles as well. She was a devout Catholic and very devoted to her parish of Holy Child (now Our Lady of Hope). She was also very active in her supportive work at the Carmelite Monastery in North Philly. She was a talented artist and calligrapher.
Helen was always a generous philanthropist with her favorite Catholic Charities, Pro Life, political causes, and she was very active in her neighborhood as a community captain and working the polls.
A Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, September 15th, 2020 at 11am at Our Lady of Hope in Philadelphia with Fr. Efren Esmilla officiating and there will be a private family interment at Holy Cross Cemetery afterwards. Future plans for a Memorial Service in the Outer Banks in October will be forthcoming. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Catholic Charities or the Carmelite Monastery in Philadelphia.
Please express condolences to the family via the online register at www.gallopfuneralservices.com. Gallop Funeral Services, Inc. was entrusted with arrangements.
