HELEN MARION FORSTNER (AKA FROSTY) MCARDLE August 11, 1919 - September 15, 2014 Helen McArdle passed away on September 15, 2014 at her home in Kaneohe, Hawaii. She was born almost 100 years ago in Yonkers, N.Y. to her immigrant parents, Ferdinand and Antonia Forstner, where she and her brother Ferdinand Robert (Uncle Bobby) grew up. She attended #13 Grade school and Gorton High School and then attended New York University (NYU) where she received her Bachelors of Science award in 1941. She was a true student-athlete playing basketball, field hockey, lacrosse and competed in swimming. In honor of her athletic prowess, she was inducted in to the NYU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985. After completing her undergraduate degree, she continued her education earning a Master's of Science Degree in Education and received a Fellowship from the University of Pennsylvania. She was also appointed an Assistant Professor at Drexel University. Helen met Roy when they were 18 and after a long courtship, were married in 1950 at St. Denise's Church in Yonkers. As a Navy couple, they were stationed in New York, Philadelphia and Alaska before their final tour of duty in Kailua, Hawaii where they lived for the next 57 years. While in Paradise, Helen was a quintessential wife and mother who created a lovely home and made our daily lives fun and full. She was very active in the community and continued to hone her skills in singing, flower arranging, tennis, acting, playing ukulele, creating pottery, and painting. She established a very successful swimming school in Kailua, and as the head of Physical Education at St. Anthony's introduced the Presidential Fitness program where she coached many winning volleyball teams, track runners, and overall athletes. She continued her teaching at Windward Community College and, with colleagues, introduced the cornerstone program, Women in Transition, to develop the physical, mental and career skills for women, giving them the tools to be independent and self- sufficient. She won the coveted Windward Community College Excellence in teaching award from the University of Hawaii. When Helen and Roy retired, they continued to entertain, enjoy their friends and traveled many places while making sure the stops along the way included visits to their children's homes. Our mother was a true renaissance woman and the most amazing part was her example in everyday life -- how to live well, be strong, as a leader, a faithful friend, adoring wife, incredible mother, gracious, and loving. Helen is profoundly missed by her devoted husband of 65 years, Roy McArdle, and her every expanding and adoring family that she was so proud. She is survived by her six children, Patrice McArdle, Kenneth Forstner McArdle, Lynne McArdle Russell and son in-law Rear Admiral David Gordon Russell, Elizabeth McArdle Solomon and son-in-law Fred Solomon, Kevin Roy McArdle and daughter-in-law Jessica James McArdle, and Michele Ka'iulani McArdle Baginski and son-in-law John Michael Baginski; her 19 grandchildren; David Gordon Russell (pre-deceased), Matthew Scott Russell and wife Rebecca Linkhart Russell, Katherine Elizabeth Russell Melville and husband Samuel Starbuck Melville, Audrey Ka'iulani Solomon, Claire Kapiolani Solomon, Kevin James McArdle, Ashley Ka'iulani McArdle McDermott and husband James McDermott, Steven Forstner McArdle, Lauren Malia McArdle, Christian Kelima McArdle, Eric Keono McArdle, Sean Robert McArdle, Ethan McBride McArdle, Hannah Elizabeth McArdle, Luke Jesse McArdle and Mark Henry McArdle, Xavier Freeman Baginski, Royce Uhane Ha'ole Laka Baginski and Johnnie Ke Kona Mele Manu Baginski; her two beautiful great granddaughters; Reagan Olivia Russell and Emma May Baginski. We also want to thank Lea and Mele Vaioleti who cared for mom in the most loving way to make her life comfortable. Every day we all miss her sense of humor, the twinkle in her eye and her wry smile. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. Anthony's of Padua Church, Kailua, Hawaii.
HELEN MARION FORSTNER (AKA FROSTY) MCARDLE August 11, 1919 - September 15, 2014 Helen McArdle passed away on September 15, 2014 at her home in Kaneohe, Hawaii. She was born almost 100 years ago in Yonkers, N.Y. to her immigrant parents, Ferdinand and Antonia Forstner, where she and her brother Ferdinand Robert (Uncle Bobby) grew up. She attended #13 Grade school and Gorton High School and then attended New York University (NYU) where she received her Bachelors of Science award in 1941. She was a true student-athlete playing basketball, field hockey, lacrosse and competed in swimming. In honor of her athletic prowess, she was inducted in to the NYU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985. After completing her undergraduate degree, she continued her education earning a Master's of Science Degree in Education and received a Fellowship from the University of Pennsylvania. She was also appointed an Assistant Professor at Drexel University. Helen met Roy when they were 18 and after a long courtship, were married in 1950 at St. Denise's Church in Yonkers. As a Navy couple, they were stationed in New York, Philadelphia and Alaska before their final tour of duty in Kailua, Hawaii where they lived for the next 57 years. While in Paradise, Helen was a quintessential wife and mother who created a lovely home and made our daily lives fun and full. She was very active in the community and continued to hone her skills in singing, flower arranging, tennis, acting, playing ukulele, creating pottery, and painting. She established a very successful swimming school in Kailua, and as the head of Physical Education at St. Anthony's introduced the Presidential Fitness program where she coached many winning volleyball teams, track runners, and overall athletes. She continued her teaching at Windward Community College and, with colleagues, introduced the cornerstone program, Women in Transition, to develop the physical, mental and career skills for women, giving them the tools to be independent and self- sufficient. She won the coveted Windward Community College Excellence in teaching award from the University of Hawaii. When Helen and Roy retired, they continued to entertain, enjoy their friends and traveled many places while making sure the stops along the way included visits to their children's homes. Our mother was a true renaissance woman and the most amazing part was her example in everyday life -- how to live well, be strong, as a leader, a faithful friend, adoring wife, incredible mother, gracious, and loving. Helen is profoundly missed by her devoted husband of 65 years, Roy McArdle, and her every expanding and adoring family that she was so proud. She is survived by her six children, Patrice McArdle, Kenneth Forstner McArdle, Lynne McArdle Russell and son in-law Rear Admiral David Gordon Russell, Elizabeth McArdle Solomon and son-in-law Fred Solomon, Kevin Roy McArdle and daughter-in-law Jessica James McArdle, and Michele Ka'iulani McArdle Baginski and son-in-law John Michael Baginski; her 19 grandchildren; David Gordon Russell (pre-deceased), Matthew Scott Russell and wife Rebecca Linkhart Russell, Katherine Elizabeth Russell Melville and husband Samuel Starbuck Melville, Audrey Ka'iulani Solomon, Claire Kapiolani Solomon, Kevin James McArdle, Ashley Ka'iulani McArdle McDermott and husband James McDermott, Steven Forstner McArdle, Lauren Malia McArdle, Christian Kelima McArdle, Eric Keono McArdle, Sean Robert McArdle, Ethan McBride McArdle, Hannah Elizabeth McArdle, Luke Jesse McArdle and Mark Henry McArdle, Xavier Freeman Baginski, Royce Uhane Ha'ole Laka Baginski and Johnnie Ke Kona Mele Manu Baginski; her two beautiful great granddaughters; Reagan Olivia Russell and Emma May Baginski. We also want to thank Lea and Mele Vaioleti who cared for mom in the most loving way to make her life comfortable. Every day we all miss her sense of humor, the twinkle in her eye and her wry smile. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. Anthony's of Padua Church, Kailua, Hawaii.
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased
