Obituary of Helen Gleeson Kuttas

Our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Helen Elizabeth Gleeson Kuttas of Melbourne, Florida, passed away at home on 26 December 2022 in the presence of loved ones. She was born 22 September 1930 in Cumberland, MD. Helen graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Home Economics and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Air Force where she served as a nutritionist, all before the age of 21. She married Army First Lieutenant George Kuttas with whom she raised 4 children in communities in the USA and Germany. Helen’s service continued in formal and informal roles as an Army spouse over the next 32 years. She personified hard work and personal responsibility as well as the ideal that we should contribute and leave every place a little better than we found it, leading by example. "Retired“ to Satellite Beach in 1982, Helen continued a life of loving service involved with the International Committee of the Red Cross, Military Officers’ Association of America Cape Canaveral (MOAACC), Satellite Beach Library, Garden Club, Bonsai Society, and an investment club where she pioneered in our global transition to home internet and limitless information. She was the volunteer of the year for the Red Cross and deployed to Homestead, Florida after Hurricane Andrew in 1992. As a case worker for more than 15 years, she provided disaster services including linking people with financial and recovery resources, and the emotional support that only our loving mother could offer during times of stress. She is preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, MG (Ret) George Kuttas and daughter, Sue Anne Kuttas. She is survived by her children, Frank (Suzanne) Kuttas, COL (Ret) John C. (Laura) Kuttas and Catherine K. (John) McMahon; grandchildren, Laura (James) Magill, Elizabeth Kuttas, Robert (Jacqueline), Jennifer (Nathan Owen), Patrick (Stephanie), and David (Caitlin) McMahon, George, and Jacob Kuttas, and James Holycross; and 9 great grandchildren: Madeline, Ava, Lilith, Katherine, Helene, Quinn, Jack, Kelly and Sean. Helen was a woman of deep faith and an active member of Holy Name of Jesus parish in Satellite Beach and most recently of St. John the Evangelist community in Melbourne. A memorial will be held on February 16 at 11:00 am at St. John the Evangelist Church in Melbourne. A funeral at Arlington National Cemetery will be held at a later date.