Helen Maunsell Ebersole, age 84 of Gardners PA died peacefully on Thursday June 11th 2026 with her daughter and two grandchildren by her side.  Helen was the daughter of Cedric and Iris Yeo and was born on December 10th, 1941, 3-days after Pearl Harbor at The Citadel where her father taught as a professor.

Helen’s family moved several times in her early years before settling in the Washington DC area where she met her husband Mike Chew, together they had 4-children.  In 1972 the family bought an aged farm house in central Pennsylvania where Helen painstakingly restored and lived in for the rest of her life.  Helen became passionate about getting back to nature, and created a very large garden which she generously shared the rewards with friends and family.  Although she lived in one home for over 50-years she loved to travel, and especially loved the ocean, she made an annual camping trip to Cape May NJ and often trekked to her ancestral home of Prince Edward Island, visiting relatives, eating oysters and lobsters.

Helen worked for over 20-years for a non-profit organization who helped underprivileged homeowners winterize their homes. 

Helen’s passion was maintaining her beautiful home and property, and she loved sharing it, there was always a revolving door of family and friends who came to visit and she was famous for her over-the-top 4th of July party, where upwards of 100 people could attend.  Along with swimming and cooking-out her guests would enjoy dancing to a live band culminating in an enormous firework show, and many made a long weekend retreat out of it.

Helen is preceded in death by her husband’s Mike Chew and John Ebersole and survived by her siblings Janet and John as well as 5-children, Kathy, John, Stephen, Brian and Liz. 9 grandchildren, 3-great grandchildren and her long-time companion Russ Huetner. 

The family would like to thank Hospice for their wonderful care in her final months.

Services will be held on July 11th at 11:00am at Monahan Funeral Home in Gettysburg PA where lunch is to follow.