Helen (Totonis) Mitchell

Helen (Totonis) Mitchell passed away suddenly at home on Saturday, June 21, 2025.

She was the beloved wife  of William (Bill) Mitchell for 57 years and the

mother of daughters Linda Mitchell of Cape May and Lisa Bernier of Idyllwild,

CA. Helen was born on July 21, 1946, in Istanbul, Turkey. She was a graduate

of the historic Kendriko High School for Greek girls. After high school, she

modeled for Vakko, a well-known women’s apparel store in Istanbul. In the

summer of 1966 she met her future husband Bill who was in the USAF

stationed outside of Istanbul at Karamursel A.B.

Bill was instantly touched by her outer beauty and quiet demeanor. He

courted her for almost a year and they were engaged in June 1967. Bill got

an overseas discharge and stayed in Istanbul to facilitate her visa to the U.S.,

and they eventually arrived in late Oct. 1967. Helen went to live with her

Aunt Aliki and Uncle Thanas Laske in Hartford, CT. Helen and Bill were

married at St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Hartford on Jan. 14, 1968,

and settled in Wildwood, where Bill joined the family business, Mitchell Iron

Works. They built a home in the Crest and Helen became a stay-at-home

mom to her family, which included two daughters born in the 1970s. In the

late ’80s she became a gift shop manager, first at the Crusader Hotel and

then Urie’s, retiring in 2012.

Helen was devoted to her Greek Orthodox Christian faith, rarely missing a

Sunday service and was recently honored by the St. Demetrios Ladies

Philoptochos Society for her 40 years serving as board member, secretary,

treasurer, and mentor. She was an outstanding baker of Greek-style cookies

and pitas for church affairs and the home. She was always stylishly dressed

and was a beautiful lady inside and out.

Helen was predeceased by her parents, George and Magdalini Totonis;

brother-in-law Tony Mankus; and her revered aunt and uncle, Aliki and

Thanas Laske, who for them she was the daughter they never had.

Helen is survived by her beloved husband, Bill; her daughters, Linda Mitchell

and Lisa (Joe) Bernier; her beloved sister, Mary; grandsons Michael, Julian,

Gabriel, and Elijah DiAntonio and Joseph Bernier, all who loved the

sleepovers with their yia-yia; her great-grandchildren Ana Lucia and Maksim;

godchildren Jordan Laske, Nicole Konides, Jack Cavenas, and John Ramsey;

her dear cousin Apostol, who was like her little brother; dearest of friends

Rita Handley; sister-in-law Ellen (Ron) Becker; brother-in-law Harry (Judy)

Mitchell; and many nieces and nephews and cousins who loved her.

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Services will be held on Saturday, June 28, at 11 a.m. at St. Demetrios Greek

Orthodox Church in North Wildwood, with viewing from 9:30 to 11:00. In lieu

of flowers donations may be made in her memory to St. Demetrios Greek

Orthodox Church.  Condolences at ingersollgreenwoodfh.com

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