04/01/2026
Helen Marie (Bailly) Hamilton passed away on March 16, 2026 at the age of 98 in Salem, New Hampshire. Born on January 7, 1928 in Haverhill, MA, she was the daughter of Mary Ellen (O’Neil) and Raymond Bailly. She was raised mostly in Haverhill, but she spent time living in Clyde, New York when she was younger. She lived in Haverhill for many years, raising most of her children there. She later moved to Salem, NH where she finished raising her family. Helen was a woman who led by example, lighting up the world with the light in her eyes. She lived her faith and her goodness through her actions, never telling, but always modeling how to be the best person one can be. She led a full and joyous life, surrounded up until the end by people who loved her.
Helen was predeceased by her husband, Leo John Hamilton of Salem, NH and her son Richard Edward Hamilton of Neenah, WI. She is survived by her children Jane Clarke and her husband Dan of Salem, MA; Joseph Hamilton and his wife Kathy of Palm Beach Gardens, FL; Arthur Hamilton and his wife Sheila of Salem, NH; Margaret Solon and her husband Gib of Ascutney, VT; Leo Hamilton and his partner Judy Long of Haverhill, MA; Raymond Hamilton and his wife Jackie of Cheyenne, WY; Maria Hamilton and her husband Jim of Andover MA; Matthew Hamilton of Plaistow, NH; Helen Fitzgerald and her husband Scott of Haverhill, MA; Patrick Hamilton and his partner Cathy Jerome of Plaistow, NH; Frederick Hamilton and his wife Patricia of Dunstable, MA; Christine Guarino and her partner George Warner of Plaistow, NH; and Maura Hamilton of Arlington, MA. Additionally, she leaves behind 25 grandchildren and many loving great grandchildren, nieces and nephews and friends. She will be remembered as a devoted mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She will be missed dearly by all who knew and loved her.
Helen was an extraordinary woman. She had 14 children whom she loved dearly. She often said how fortunate she felt to have all her children. Family was very important to her and she surrounded herself with family and friends. She delighted in seeing her grandchildren and great grandchildren, always up to date in what was happening in their lives. She had a way of loving everyone, treating each person she encountered as wonderful in his or her own way. She was a natural optimist. She looked for the good in others and she always found it. She experienced the world with wonder and joy, which she shared with everyone she met. She had plenty of Irish in her—she loved to meet new people and she could talk to anyone. Whenever she traveled, she became the favorite wherever she was.
Helen taught in public schools for most of her career. She was, at times, a middle school teacher, an elementary school teacher, a reading specialist, and a high school curriculum coordinator. She loved learning and she valued education. She earned both a master’s degree and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study from Salem State University. She pursued her education while raising her family with her characteristic perseverance and tenacity. She could often be found in her room studying or writing papers, a role model for all her children. She worked until the age of 70 because there was so much that still interested and excited her intellectually about her profession.
Helen was passionate in her interests, which were many. She loved music of all kinds. She played piano and she taught piano lessons into her nineties. She loved to sing Irish songs and the songs of her childhood. She was an avid reader. When she was not out and about, she could be found with a book in hand. She loved being part of a book club with her daughters and nieces, discussing characters, story lines, and big ideas. She loved traveling, seeking out new experiences whenever she could. She also loved the beach, spending much time there in the summer with family. Helen loved to walk, as her mother before her did. She walked whenever she got the chance, no matter where she was. She stayed physically active throughout her life, practicing yoga and participating in fitness classes well into her later years. She was a strong woman in every possible way. Helen was also a fashionista. She loved beautiful clothes and shoes, and her hair and nails were always impeccably done. She loved playing games and doing puzzles. She was an avid card player for many years. She leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter, strength, compassion, adventure, and joy. She is a person who said ‘yes’ to life no matter what came her way.
Family and friends are respectfully invited to Helen's calling hours on Tuesday, April 7 from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM at the Kevin B. Comeau Funeral Home, 486 Main St. Haverhill. A funeral mass will be held on Wednesday morning April 8 at 11:00 AM at Saint James Church, 185 Winter Street, Haverhill, MA. A private burial ceremony will take place at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen, NH on April 9.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Camp Sunshine (https://www.campsunshine.org/giving),
St. Vincent De Paul Society (https://ssvpusa.org/donate/), or
Meals on Wheels
(https://action.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/a/mowa-donation-form?ms=ads_gs_search202504_b&source=ads_gs_search202504_b&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20508298452
