Helen Elaine Wallace Miksch, 92, of Lititz, passed away on November 20, 2023, at Moravian Manor, Lititz after a brief period of declining health. She was the daughter of the late Caroline Heald Wallace and Frank Byron Wallace of Rutland, MA. She was predeceased by her husband of 50 years Dr. J. William Miksch Jr. DDS, who died in 2006, and her sister Nancy C Harris Giangrande of Las Vegas, NV.

Helen was born in Manila, P. I. on May 5, 1931. She and her mother and sister returned to the United States the summer before the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Her father was captured by the Japanese and spent 4 years at Los Baños prison camp outside Manila.

She graduated cum laude from Oak Grove School in Vassalboro, ME in 1949 and also from Cornell University in 1953 with a degree in Fine Arts. While a student at Cornell, Helen was a member of the Pan Hellenic Society, Pi Beta Phi national sorority, and was the first woman to be inducted into the Gargoyle Architecture Honor Society, Cornell chapter, an academically elite group of architecture students, after a "gentleman's agreement" had prevented woman from being part of the society since 1902. She also took graduate studies at Boston University and the University of Colorado.

Helen's first job teaching was at Linden Hall School for Girls in Lititz, where she met the man she would marry, Bill Miksch. She taught Studio Art and Art History there for 23 years, as well as 2 years at Rothsville and Kissel Hill Elementary Schools and 2 years at Warwick Middle School when it was first opened.

Helen and Bill loved history—particularly family history. Helen's ancestors arrived in Concord, MA in 1635 (almost Pilgrims she liked to say) and Bill's family was one of the earliest Moravian settlers of Lititz in the early 1700's. They knew they wanted to own a piece of Moravian history. They purchased what is considered the oldest residence in Lititz, built in 1757 where Helen lived for 60 years. Helen loved her adopted town of Lititz and was a proud member of the Lititz Moravian Church and the Lititz Woman's Club. She worked with Meals on Wheels and was a guide for many years at the Lititz Museum. She was also a founding member of the Lititz Board of Historical Review.

Helen and Bill had a large group of friends in Lititz they called "the gang" who enjoyed many years of camaraderie, vacations, activities, birthday and Christmas parties, loud political discourse, and playing bridge. She will be remembered for being a dedicated wife, mother, teacher, and friend. She was a voracious reader her entire life, generous to a fault, opinionated, loved engaging with people, and always asked dozens of questions of anyone she met.

Helen was a loving mother to her 3 daughters: Caroline A Miksch Phee, of Gingin, AUS., Alison L Miksch of Manheim, PA, and Nancy E Miksch Smoker of Belleville, PA. She is also survived by 6 grandchildren: Riza M Sukman and Amira Miksch Sukman of Bali, IDSA., Asa A Fritz of Emmaus, PA and Olivia H Fritz of Birmingham, AL, Ian M Jones of Lancaster, PA and Collin M Jones of Williamsport, PA. as well as 4 great-grandchildren.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend Helen's memorial service on January 13, 2024, at 11:00 AM at the Lititz Moravian Chapel in the Single Brother's House, 8 Church Square, Lititz, PA 17543. Visitation will begin at 10:00 AM. Interment will be private in Lititz Moravian Cemetery. Those desiring may send contributions in Helen's memory to Hospice & Community Care, P.O. Box 4125, Lancaster, PA 17604-4125.