Helen Lake Smith

Helen Lake Smith, 87, of 436 Baldwin St. died Sunday March 23, 2003, at Beverly Healthcare, Meadville.

She was born in Pittsfield, March 1, 1916, a daughter of Charles M. & Edith May Pilling Lake.

A graduate of Meadville High School, she worked at Talon for a year to support herself while attending Carnegie Drama School in Pittsburgh.  During her first semester there she auditioned for the Pittsburgh Playhouse, remaining there as a staff actress for 7 years.  Summers were spent in stock productions throughout New England.

She resided in New York City in the early fifties where she worked in television on the Martin Kane Show, the Buick Circus Hour, It Pays to be Ignorant, and You Bet Your Life.  While there she also wrote 2 plays for children, “Isle of Plume” and “Sing for My Birthday, Appleseed John”, which were produced in the east for over a decade.  She then moved to Los Angeles where she returned to school and graduated from Los Angeles City College, with a Masters of Fine Arts Degree from Otis Art Institute, where some of her work is in the permanent collection.  She headed the art department of the John Thomas Dye School of Bel Aire, Calif., for 5 years, and had her last one woman show at the Little Louvre Art Gallery in Manhattan Beach, Calif.

Helen eventually retired into life as an antiques dealer, and returned to Meadville in 1989 where she remained creative and industrious until a few weeks before her move to Beverly Healthcare.  Her inventive nature and unstoppable spirit charmed all who knew her.  She will be missed and remembered.

Survivors include a brother, John E. Lake & his wife Ruth, and Ethelyn M. Lake all of Meadville, and several nieces & nephews, and grand nieces & nephews.

She was preceded in death by a sister Marian L. Dahl & her husband Dana, and 2 nephews, Peter S. Lake & Richard L. Dahl.

Private services will be held at the convenience of the family.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 464 Pine St., or the Crawford County Humane Society, 11012 Kennedy Hill Road, Meadville, PA 16335.

Arrangements were under direction of Robert W. Waid Funeral Home, Inc. 581 Chestnut St. Meadville, PA