Submitted by: Dan Rich
April 17, 1918 - Jan. 28, 2008
South Bend Tribune 1/30/2008
SOUTH BEND - Helen Theresa (Szabo) Dominello, 89, passed
away Monday in Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center after
suffering a fall the night before in her apartment at Wood Ridge
Assisted Living, where she had been a resident for the last four
years. She was born in South Bend to Theresa (Rozopovits)
and Peter Szabo. Helen was preceded in death by her
husband, James Dominello Sr. on July 28, 1975, and by her
youngest son, Lawrence Anthony on June 17, 2003. Also preceding
her in death were siblings, Peter Szabo, Elizabeth Horvath,
Julia Lockmondy, Theresa Waelbroeck, Anna Rowland
and Katie Benzur. Helen attended Our Lady of Hungary Grade
School, learning at an early age how to enjoy work as an
essential part of life. Even while in grade school, she and her
sisters routinely helped their father with his housekeeping
duties as janitor of Our Lady of Hungary Parish.
Helen met her husband at the Indiana Club
where Jim was a guitar player in a local Hungarian orchestra. The
couple was married at Our Lady of Hungary Catholic Church on
September 4, 1937, lived a happy life together in homes where
music, a mix of Hungarian and Italian cooking, and entertaining
relatives and friends were always on the agenda. A standard
family get-together during the 1950s and 1960s would always
entail a full Italian buffet followed by dancing with live guitar
and mandolin music from Jim and cousin, Tony Iemma. Most of all,
Helen enjoyed caring for her house and family and serving as
hostess for parties of 50 to 100 friends and relatives. Following
the death of her husband, Helen worked at the Holy Cross House at
Notre Dame, providing food services to retired priests. The
greatest pride of Helen and Jim was the fact that all three of
their sons were able to graduate from college, while neither of
their parents were able to go though high school.
Helen is survived by sons, James (Pamela)
Dominello Jr. and Leonard (Mary Beth) Dominello. Also surviving
are 10 grandchildren, Anthony (Caela) Dominello, Michael (Kim)
Dominello and Vincent (Mary Beth) Dominello of South Bend; Andrew
(Liz) Dominello of Wilmette, IL; Maria (Tom) Panowicz and
Lisa (Mark) Winde of Granger; Andrea (Matthew) Remke
of Petersburg, Kentucky; Carla Dominello of Chicago; Marisa
Dominello of Long Beach, California, and Talia Dominello of
Burbank, California. Eleven great grandchildren include: Dylan
and Ryan Dominello; Emma, Jack, Alex, Cole and Leah Panowicz;
Jacob, Nathaniel and Zachary Winde; Brayden Remke.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday in
St. Joseph's Catholic Church, where Helen was a member for adult
life, with interment to follow at Highland Cemetery. Visitation
will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday in the Hickey Funeral Home,
17131 Cleveland Road, where the Rosary will be said at 5 p.m.
that day. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in
Helen's name to St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 226 N. Hill Street,
South Bend, IN 46617.