E. Helene Pierce

E. Helene Pierce died on April 2, 2025 in Wolfeboro NH at the age of 94.  She was born to Robert and Edith (Sorenson) Hobart on August 20, 1930 in Brooklyn, NY. Her family moved to Ramsey, NJ as a young girl. Lee and Helene met in their senior year at Ramsy High School and graduated together in 1948. Helene went on to Katharine Gibbs School in New York and became an executive secretary while Lee went into the Army. They married October 10, 1952 and enjoyed 70 years together.

Lee and Helene had their first child, Linda, in 1955 and in 1958 welcomed Nancy and Gregory in 1959. They resided in Mendham and Brookside, NJ until 1970 when they moved to Amherst, NH and then to Wolfeboro in 1991. Helene was active in the children’s lives and community. As the children grew up, she was finally able to devote more time to her childhood passion, painting, especially watercolor. She studied under many different teachers as well as attending classes at UNH under Sigmand Abeles. Becoming proficient as a watercolor artist she began teaching, selling and showing her work. Over the years she showed in prestigious exhibitions, the Audubon Artists Annual Exhibition in NYC, Currier Gallery of Art, the Copley Society of Boston, the Academic Artists Association, the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, and the Knickerbocker Artists all of NYC, the Manchester Institute of Arts, the New Hampshire Art Association and the Reading Art Association. Awards include the Rosmond de Kalb Memorial Award, the Grumbacher Gold Medallion, the Dick Blick Co Award a National Exhibition.

After Lee retired, they travelled extensively throughout Europe, China, Bermuda, Alaska, Australia and New Zealand and never without a sketch pad, pencils and camera to capture images, country sides and anything of interest. Once home she would create award winning watercolors in her studio. She loved the fluidity and transparency of the medium. “Accidents happen…you have to be free enough to run with it!”

Helene predeceased by Lee and her daughter Nancy. She is survived by her daughter Linda, her husband Will Cox, their two sons, Jonathan and Stephen, son Gregory and wife Lynne, Ethan (wife Caitlin) and Madison, as well as nieces, nephews and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to New Hampshire Watercolor Society, www.newenglandwatercolorsociety.org under Contribute in her name.

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