Helen Metelow

Helen Metelow, 89, of Fair Lawn, passed on October 8, 2023, in the loving arms of her daughter Valerie and her long-term caregiver Tamara. Beloved wife of the late Yuri Metelow. Dear mother of Serge Metelow and his wife Dana, Valerie Metelow and her husband Ray Losito, and loving grandmother of James & Alexandra Metelow. Helen is survived by many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased in life by her parents Michael and Valeria Kapica, her sister Eugenia and brother-in-law Edward Yuhas and siblings Michael, John, Nicholas, Wallace and Olga Kapica.

Born in Throop, PA, Helen relocated to NJ in 1953 where she began her career working as a legal secretary for a senior partner at Debevoise & Plimpton in NYC. In 1964, attending a function at Rova Farms in South Jersey, she met Yuri who taught her the tango. They married in 1965 and moved to Fair Lawn where they started a family and continued their tango for 55 years before Yuri’s passing in 2020.

Helen worked for 21 years in the Fair Lawn Police Department as secretary to the chief of police, four police chiefs and one police director, over her tenure. She was a member and past officer of the Federated Russian Orthodox Clubs, Chapter #16, in Garfield, NJ. Helen was a founder and faithful parishioner of Holy Apostles Eastern Orthodox Church in Saddle Brook and was a member of its choir and Myrrhbearing Women, participating in all church activities. She was an avid reader and slot player, loved her blazing 7s, and often went to Atlantic City to try her luck.

Services from Kugler Community Home for Funerals 311 Fifth Street, Saddle Brook NJ. Visiting hours on Friday, October 13 from 4 – 8 pm. A funeral service will be held Saturday, October 14, at Holy Apostles Orthodox Church, in Saddle Brook at 10 am. Interment in George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus NJ. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Holy Apostles Orthodox Church (17 Platt Avenue, Saddle Brook, NJ 07663) in Helen’s name.