Helen M. Coppola, 81

Marlborough - Helen M. (Jestic) Coppola, 81, died Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008 at UMass Memorial Healthcare in Worcester after a brief illness. She was the beloved wife of the late Albert Coppola Sr.

She leaves her daughters, Christine McCarthy and Nancy Smith and her husband, Frank; her grandsons, Todd McCarthy and Jason Mc- Carthy; her step-grandsons, Brian Smith, Mark Smith and Frank Smith IV; her greatgranddaughter, Ariangely; and nieces and nephews. She was also mother of the late Albert Coppola Jr., who died in 1979.

Born in Manhattan, N.Y., she was the daughter of Nicholas and Julia (Murphy) Jestic. She met her husband, Albert, upon a visit to her aunt's home in Marlborough and was a resident of the city since 1949. During that time, she was a devoted mother and wife.

Mrs. Coppola, a member of the Immaculate Conception Church, worked briefly at Raytheon in Waltham as a quality control inspector, but was very likely known for her early morning service with a smile at the "original" Dunkin' Donuts on Main Street and later at East Main Street, both in Marlborough, before retiring.

She has left her family with many fond memories of a loving mother, grandmother and aunt. She was gifted with an unending supply of kindness, goodness and good humor. Being with her family was her favorite pastime, and she enjoyed dining out at any given moment and her trips to Foxwoods with her sister and nieces. She also enjoyed many summers at Hampton Beach and trips to Cape Cod with her daughters and granddaughters. Her most memorable trip was with her daughter to Miami and Key West in 1999.

Funeral services were held March 3 from the John P. Rowe Funeral Home of Marlborough, with burial at Evergreen Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 311 Arsenal St., Watertown, MA 02472 or to the American Heart Association, 20 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701.