Pate: Helen Grace, 77, of Truro, passed away peacefully at her home after a short illness with cancer, on Thursday, May 24, 2012. Born in Windsor she was the daughter of the late Raymond and Mary (Canavan) Lynch. Helen was chairman of the 1981 Canadian Figure Skating Championships in Halifax leading the path to major International competitions. She sat on the National Board for Figure Skating and also volunteered as a skating judge. She was President of the Nova Scotia Division of the Canadian Figure Skating Association (1979). She later became involved with the Canadian Diabetes Association sitting on the National Board and was a member of the Finance Committee. She was a dedicated volunteer and probably one of her greatest assets would be organizational skills and her ability to bring out the best in people. In later years she continued to be involved with the Diabetes Association looking after the in memorials before retiring. Helen was a loving mother and grandmother and her grandchildren were the dearest things to her heart. Her wish for them was that they all be educated in whatever they wanted to be. Before moving to Truro in 1974 Helen had previously lived in Dartmouth, Portage Le Prairie (Manitoba), Newcastle NB and St. Bruno (Quebec) where she was the founder of the St. Bruno Figure Skating Club and was a lifetime member. Helen is survived by son, Glenn Pate, Dartmouth; daughter, Susan (Terry) Lynch, Truro; brothers, Lawrence Lynch (Christine), Wolfville; Darrell Lynch (Debbie), Ontario; grandchildren, Trevor Pate, Mitchell Pate, Nicholas Lynch, Jonathan Lynch and Christopher Lynch. She was predeceased by her husband John James Pate; brother, Charles Lynch. Visitation will be held 6-9pm Saturday, May 26, in the Mattatall ~ Varner Funeral Home, 55 Young Street Truro. Funeral service will be held 2pm Monday, May 28, in the Immaculate Conception Church, Prince Street Truro with Father Dariusz Miskowicz officiating. Following the funeral service eulogy’s will be offered at the Mattatall ~ Varner Funeral Home Chapel with a reception to follow in the funeral home. Interment will then be held in the Bible Hill Cemetery, Warren Drive, Bible Hill. Flowers are welcome and donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society. Thank you to everyone who supported us during this time. Special thanks go to the VON, the Palliative Care Team and Dr. Frank Slipp. Private messages of condolence may be sent to the family by visiting the “guest book” at: www.mattatallvarnerfh.com