Helen Antoinettezemek Baine

Helen Antoinette Zemek Baine
December 3, 2013

Helen Antoinette Zemek Baine died peacefully on December 3, 2013, after a long, exciting, and inspiring life. Her devoted grandson, Charles Cincebox, and dedicated nurse, Kelly Bush, supported and cared for her until her death from natural causes.

Helen was born in Johnson City, New York, on November 30, 1917, the third daughter of Czechoslovak immigrant parents. She attended a one-room country schoolhouse where she quickly learned English and skipped two grades. Lunch came from a pot to which students added what they could. An airplane flying overhead was an exciting event which emptied the schoolhouse so everyone could see it.

She graduated from high school at 15 and completed 2 years of business school in one year because that was all her father could afford. She met Peter (Pat) Baine at a corn husking event. He shucked a red ear which allowed him to kiss any girl, and he chose Helen. Both sets of parents were horrified when they decided to marry. Helen was only 16 and Pat was 24. Pat was born in Lithuania, so they were marrying outside their ethnic groups. They were happily married for 45 years until Pat's death in 1979.

Helen worked at the Army Engineers and then for Social Security. Her native language proved useful when she was assigned to work with widows of miners who died of black lung disease. She could speak to them in their own Slavic language and translate their documents. Helen also took evening classes at Syracuse University College, one of the first adult learners, finally completing her BA degree in 1979.

In 1965, Helen visited her family in the "old country," (then Czechoslovakia) then bravely went alone to Moscow. She escaped her Intourist guide, explored the subway, talked with people, and discovered she loved to travel. From 1970 to 2010, she returned to Czechoslovakia almost every year. She and her older daughter, Helene, roamed the villages, meeting people, taking photographs, and collecting gorgeous folk dress. They published Treasures of Slovakia, a book of their photographs. In 1990, they began leading tours to some of their favorite places and folk artists and helped people find their long lost families.

Helen and Helene exhibited their magnificent folk dress collection in twenty museums in the US. Their photo exhibitions were shown in 12 different countries, and led to an invitation to visit the Sultanate of Oman where they stayed in a sheik's city palace on the ocean and the village palace with 14 bedrooms. They traveled to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Chuvashia and remote villages in China to learn how people live there. Helen loved it all eventually visiting more than 50 countries.

Helen also gave back to her community by doing taxes as an AARP Tax Aide volunteer for over 25 years. She didn't even use a computer!

Finally, Helen refused to die until after a family Thanksgiving dinner followed by her 96th birthday. She is survived by two daughters, Helene Cincebeaux of Rochester NY and Rosalie Baine of Atlanta GA, grandchildren Christopher Cincebeaux, Charles Cincebox, Kristin Cederquist, and Benjamin Buell, and great-grandchildren Emily, Madeline, and Tyler Cincebeaux, a brother, Paul Zemek, and Anastasia Fialla, an honorary family member to whom we are most grateful.

A memorial service commemorating Helen's extraordinary life will be held on April 5th. It will include a Mass at 11:00 AM followed by a luncheon. The Mass will be held at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 425 Beechwood Avenue, Liverpool, NY 13088.