Helen (Hamilton) Croot, a beloved mother, grandmother, wife and friend, died February 4, 2022 at the age of 91. Helen was born in Waterbury, CT and was the only child of Foster and Helen Hamilton. She grew up in Farmington and graduated from Lasell College. After college, she worked for Connecticut General (now CIGNA) in Hartford.

Helen met her future husband, Darrel, when she was walking down the street and he drove by with a mutual friend. When Darrel later called to ask her on a date, she misunderstood his name and was expecting to see someone else at the door. Fortunately, she gave it a go – clearly the right decision as they were married for more than 64 years.

After marrying, Helen and Darrel moved to Granby, where they started their family and made many lifelong friends. When Darrel took a new job in New York City, they moved to Stamford, where they lived for more than 40 years until moving to a retirement community in Bloomfield.

Helen was very active in the Stamford community. She played tennis and paddle tennis as well as ladies and couples bridge. She enjoyed traveling, and she and Darrel spent several months a year in Vermont and Florida, where she loved lying in the sun, much to her dermatologist’s dismay. She and Darrel were long-suffering Jets fans who owned season tickets for more than 20 years. Her pain at their many losses was eased by the thermoses of Bloody Marys they brought for tailgating and whiskey sours they smuggled into the stadium for halftime. When Helen wasn’t at a Jets game, her favorite cocktail was a Manhattan, with dirty ice on the side.

Helen was an active member of the First Congregational Church in Stamford. For years, she was in charge of the food table at the church’s annual Friendship Fair, and she became renowned for the pies and other baked goods she contributed. She was also well-known for the Christmas cookies she baked every year. She volunteered for many years with Meals on Wheels, delivering food to home-bound seniors. (Her family occasionally questioned this role, given her poor sense of direction.)

Helen was cheerful, selfless and always willing to help, whether it meant dropping off a home-cooked meal, lending an ear to a friend in need or babysitting her five grandchildren, who called her Nana. In addition to being generous with her time, Helen was also generous with her opinions (which were not always as well received as her baked goods).

Helen is survived by her son, Gary, and his wife Jennifer; her daughter, Andrea and her husband Joseph; her son-in-law, George; and five grandchildren: Emily, Abigail, Noah, Nicholas and Nathan. Her husband, Darrel, and daughter Laurie predeceased her in 2020.

The family will be holding a private memorial service, but friends are encouraged to share condolences and memories online at www.SheehanHilbornBreen.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (https://www.stjude.org).