Helen R. Passaro, 85 of Center Valley, formerly of Media, PA died Friday October 6, 2006 in Kirkland Village, Bethlehem. She was the wife of the late Ramon Passaro. Born in Chester, PA, she was a daughter of the late Raymond and Rachel Castaldi.
She graduated from Chester High School in 1938 and played for and captained the first women's basketball and softball teams for her high school.
Mrs. Passaro was an award-winning journalist who worked as a free-lance reporter and photographer. Beginning her career as a teenager editing the local Italian newspapers, she pursued a degree in Journalism in 1941 from Temple University, as one of the first female reporters of the time. She wrote for the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Bulletin, The Delaware County Daily Times, and for the AP/UPI presses. She was one of the first investigative reporters of the era and one of the first women sports writers. Helen was a devoted military wife whose travels took her to Berlin, during the time of the Cold War. Her undercover photography of the Berlin Wall was published throughout the American press. She continued to write and publish until her 7th decade.
She was also an active member of and strong advocate for the Veteran's Associations and was active politically in her hometown. She loved gardening, birding, and landscaping. She was a member of St. Joseph Church in Limeport.
Survivors: Daughter, Dr. Marian P. McDonald , of Center Valley; son, Rev. Joseph R. Passaro of Toronto, Canada; four grandchildren, Maria, Madelene, Michael and Ramon, who serves in the US Army. Services: Mass 10:00 AM Thursday at St. Joseph's Church. Call 7-9 PM Wednesday, at Norcross-Weber Funeral Home, 101-B N. Main St., Coopersburg, PA (www.weberfuneralhomes.com) Contributions: Humane Society of Lehigh County, 640 Dixon St., Allentown, PA 18103 or Medical Missions Sisters, 8400 Pine Rd., Philadelphia, PA 19111