Huntington Class of ’38 Member Passes Away
One of the oldest living graduates of Huntington High School has passed away at 90 years of age. Helen R. Guckenberger was closely associated with the town her whole life. She was born on Spring Road, graduated from high school here and later helped her husband in the operation of Guckenberger’s Hardware, which was located on Main Street.
Known as Helen Ryan when she attended Huntington High School, she graduated with her classmates on Tuesday, June 28, 1938 in an 8:15 p.m. ceremony held in the school auditorium. It was the 77th commencement in Huntington’s history. At the time, the high school was located on Main Street across from the Old First Church in what today is Town Hall.
After retiring from the hardware store, which was located in building that today is home to Munday’s, Mrs. Guckenberger spent hours volunteering at Huntington Hospital and at the Huntington senior citizens center.
When she graduated from Huntington High School, Mrs. Guckenberger sat with her classmates and listened attentively to addresses on the “Folklore of Old Long Island” by valedictorian Florence Halbreich and “The World at Our Door” by salutatorian Doris Ethelyn Mayer. Fellow senior William Werner Blauvelt also spoke, opining on “Acorns to Oaks.” Principal Robert L. Simpson presented awards to several class members, Superintendent Raymond C. Burdick announced the names of each graduate and School Board President Dr. Russell W. Sammis distributed diplomas.
Mrs. Guckenberger, who was interred at Pinelawn Memorial Park, was predeceased by her husband Harold and five brothers and sisters. She is survived by her children, Ruth and Charles, who also graduated from Huntington High School, in 1968 and 1971, respectively.
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