Helen Bruno

Helen Dorothy Bruno, originally from Melrose Park, went to be with the Lord the evening of November 28th, 2022, just days away from her 91st birthday. Helen passed away peacefully at her home in Elburn with her son, Ron, by her side. Helen was a very spunky, sweet, and servant-hearted woman. She was kind and caring, and would give you the shirt off her back even if it were her last. She was one of the hardest working women that ever lived for most of her life, not retiring until 75 years old. Even after her retirement, she always kept herself busy helping around the house, but not without The Golden Girls TV show playing in the background. Helen was born on December 2, 1931, to the late Dominic and Catherine. She was the baby of 7 siblings… Mary Leccesi (the late John), Pearl Gann (the late John), George Bruno (the late Agnes), Nicolina DeBoni (the late Gino), John Bruno (the late Barbara), and Ida Payne (the late Jim)… she was also the last survivor of the bunch. She was the loving mom of Burt Greene (Linda) and Ron Greene (the late Nancy). As a single mother, she raised her boys with love and instilled in them, respect and a strong work ethic. She was the loving Aunt and Cousin to many, and a friend to all. Helen was a strong and determined Italian woman, barely standing 5 feet tall, yet was sharp as a tack even up until the last week of her life here on earth. One thing that stood out about Helen above all else, was her belief and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. She was healthy her entire life, until September of 2022, when her health took a turn for the worst, and upon being in the hospital for the first time, her words were, “Jesus is with me, and soon, I will go to Him.” She knew she belonged to Him and this brings her family great comfort and peace as they grieve Helen, with the hope of the resurrection and reuniting in Heaven with her in the presence of God. Helen was a humble woman, rarely asking for anything, but when presented with a gift, received it with such gratitude and a light of joy in her eyes. She loved to be with her family. She loved to tell stories. And somehow, she always knew the score of the Cubs game. Helen was the cherished Grandmother to Christopher (Tiffany), Christie (William), Ronny (Amanda), Dina (Rocco), and Tiffany (Vince). She was also the dear Great Grandmother, or “Nana”, as they referred to her, to Christopher’s children, Madison and Domenick; Christie’s children, Joseph, Nicholas, Samantha, and Noah; Ronny’s son, Luca; Dina’s children, Elia and Anthony; and Tiffany’s son, Lorenzo. Helen loved to have her nails and hair done and be pampered by her Granddaughter, Christie. She was a foundational part of the childhood of Christie and Ronny, living with her son Ron for over 35 years, even down to blowing out each individual fuzzy on Ronny’s socks as a child, as they bothered his feet, the family recalls fondly. She was feisty and fun, and had the most witty responses in conversations, often leaving those who knew her in a bit of shock and the kind of laughter that makes your ribs hurt. Her son Ron and the late Nancy, cared for Helen all of their marriage, and after the passing of Nancy, Ron and Helen were living just the 2 of them together for nearly 6 years. In the final months of her life, Helen would often look over at Ron, lock eyes and point to him, sharing with him how much she loved him and how grateful she was for the care he gave her. Ron jokingly nicknamed her “Walter”, the local news reporter of their little subdivision in Elburn, as she always knew the happenings on the street and somehow always knew when he would leave his lamp on after falling asleep in the living room. This often resulted in her shouting in his face, “Go to bed!!”, scaring the daylights out of him, hence he also lovingly referred to her as “The Italian Firecracker”. She was sassy and silly, and loved a Whopper from Burger King like no other! Helen had no enemies, was loved by everyone, and truly was a servant to all who were in her life. She will be greatly missed and her absence will leave a great void in the lives of many. Visitation will be held on Thursday, December 8th, 3-9pm, with her funeral the following morning, December 9th, at 10:30 a.m. at Salerno’s Rosedale Chapel, 450 W. Lake Street in Roselle. Family and friends are welcome to join the immediate family for a small graveside burial immediately following the funeral service.