Helen Elizabeth Winter, née Kreitmeier, beloved sister, aunt, and friend, passed gently away on June 7, 2021. Helen was born July 1, 1926 in Brooklyn, NY to Thomas Joseph, Sr. and Lena Kreitmeier. As young adults, Helen and her brother, Thomas, Jr. (Tommy), moved from the bustling Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn to the sleepy Hudson River Valley town of Hannacroix, NY.
In 1955, while hostessing at Red’s Restaurant, in nearby Coxsackie, NY, Helen met the love of her life, rival restaurateur, Benjamin Winter. Soon afterwards, on May 28, 1956, Helen and Ben married and began their 33-year-long love affair. Together, they dedicated their every effort to their successful Skyline Restaurant and Lounge, overlooking the Rip Van Winkle Bridge and Hudson River, in Catskill, NY. Helen and Ben shared a deep commitment to fine food and libations, understated elegance, impeccable service, and hard work.
After selling the popular restaurant, Helen and Ben retired to West Palm Beach, FL, where they enjoyed golfing, dining, and the company of many loving friends and neighbors. After Ben’s death in 1989, Helen remained living in West Palm Beach surrounded by her community of friends. In 2006, at age 80, after one too many frightening hurricane seasons, Helen packed everything up and moved cross-country to Boise, ID. There, she joined her recently widowed brother, Tommy, and an especially sweet Bichon Frise, named Molly, in creating their next chapter of life close by her treasured niece, Rebecca Anson, Rebecca’s children, Lily and Colton Anson, and her husband, Rick Anson, along with RIck’s extended family. As always, Aunt Helen was warmly embraced and cherished by many amazing neighbors.
Helen is survived and mourned by her loving brother, Thomas Kreitmeier Jr., her nieces and their families, Rebecca and Rick Anson of Boise, Lisa and Asa Covey of Craryville, NY, Ellen Kreitmeier and Jasmine Kosele of Putney, VT, her great nieces, Lily Anson of Boise, Amanda Covey of Craryville, NY, her great-nephew, Colton Anson of Boise, and her faithful and devoted pup, Bailey, also of Boise. Mark Kreitmeier, her nephew, pre-deceased Helen in 2011.
Helen’s remains will be interred forever beside Ben at The Star of David of The Palm Beaches, located in West Palm Beach, FL. Donations to your local animal shelter may be made in lieu of flowers.