In loving memory of
Helga Reckner

• February 12, 1945
• -
• February 18, 2021

• Share

Helga Reckner died peacefully in her Sarasota, FL home at the age of 76.

Helga is survived by her husband of 52 years, John Reckner of Oxford, MA; son, Travis Reckner of Louiseville, KY; grandchildren, Wolfgang Reckner, Ziggy Reckner, Otto Reckner, Fiona Reckner, all of Louisville, KY; her brother, Peter Koch of Berlin, Germany.
She is preceded in death by her daughter, Kimberly Jane Zimmerman of Millbury, MA.

Helga was born on February 12, 1945 in Berlin, Germany to Elizabeth Vogel Koch and Karl Heinz Koch.  After moving to Cincinnati, OH at the age of 18, she worked as an Au Pair and studied art.  During this time, she met her husband to be, John.
In 1970 they moved to the Worcester, MA area and over the next ten years they welcomed two children, Travis and Kimberly into their lives.  Helga and John set about teaching them an appreciation for all forms of art.  Helga was extremely creative and accomplished at drawing and cooking.  Her talents served as the genesis of the acclaimed Jack O’ Lantern Spectacular which she and John created together with friends and family in 1988.

Helga was a generous, witty and selfless individual who loved being a dedicated mother and homemaker.  She was also passionate about nature, animals,  gardening and botany.  She spent much of her time landscaping and manicuring her botanical garden-yard.  She also enjoyed cooking for family and friends on any given night.

Helga’s compassionate and empathetic nature directed her towards a career as a home health aid for the Visiting Nurse Association where she worked in hospice care.

A ceremony celebrating Helga’s life will be held at a later date this summer in Oxford, MA for friends and family.  Official time and date is still to be determined.