Helen Mercades

Helen Bernadette Mercades, 89 years of age, was the daughter of Valeriano Domingo and Anacleta Menor. She was the devoted wife to the late Lawrence Mercades for 62 years. She was the loving mother of Doreen Mercades-Hult and son-in-law Steven Hult, and sister to surviving siblings, James Barrientos, Eleanor (Bobo) Aquinde, and Gloria Manzano. She was preceded in death by siblings Avelina (Hina) Torricer, Placido (Fat) Domingo, Lawrence (Skinny) Domingo, and Alice Ragasa. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews who know her as Aunty “Bebe” Helen was born in Pu’unene on the Island of Maui. She followed her brother Skinny to Chicago in the early 1950s to study to be a lab technician. There she was reintroduced to her brother’s friend Larry, who had also moved from Maui to study. Larry and Helen married in 1958 and settled eventually in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood where they lived until moving to nearby Bethany Retirement Home several years ago. Her numerous interests included crocheting, music, and hula. She was also active as a Girl Scout leader and volunteered regularly in local soup kitchens and other charitable organizations. She participated in numerous church and social activities and competed with Larry in the city’s senior Olympics. She contributed generously to numerous charities. Larry and Helen loved to travel back to Hawai’i to visit family and friends, as well as around the mainland, whether to visit their timeshare in Hilton Head, their vacation cottage in Wisconsin, or the ninth island of Las Vegas for high school reunions. She was a strong woman who will be long-remembered and well-loved by her family and friends. Visitation will be held on Thursday, November 11 from 3:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. at Cooney Funeral Home located at 3918 W. Irving Park Rd. in Chicago. Funeral Friday, November 12 at 10:30 a.m. at Cooney Funeral Home. A livestream of service can be viewed at http://www.facebook.com/cooneyfuneralhome Interment Abraham Lincoln Cemetery. For information please call 773-588-5850 or visit www.cooneyfuneralhome.com  In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to American Alzheimer's Association  https://alzfdn.org/ or the American Heart Association https://www.heart.org/

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