Why is West Hempstead's Helen Duryea so happy?

The West Hempstead Historical Society held a ceremony dedicating a new bench to Helen Duryea in honor of her decades of service in giving back to her community.

Like Duryea herself, the bench quietly contributes to the character and beauty of the West Hempstead community.

When it was pointed out at the Sep. 6 ceremony that Duryea has done a lot for West Hempstead, her instinct was to downplay her many contributions.

“No, I really don’t think I have,” said the modest 95-year-old Duryea. “Other people did more than me.”

A lot of people have done less, too.

Duryea and her sister, Florence, were the driving forces of the project that saw the Jamesport community center painted red, and its cupola painted with 25 karat gold leaf. They were also responsible for the iconic “Welcome to West Hempstead” sign on Hempstead Avenue. Further, Duryea was key to restoring the Chestnut Street School, particularly the bell tower that sits atop it. The bell tower is more than just a pretty sight — like Duryea, the bell tower is a testament to the singularity of West Hempstead’s character, the strength of its history and the longevity of its tight-knit community.

“She cares about the large and small, happy and sad incidents in our lives,” Lesley McAvoy, vice president of the West Hempstead Historical Society said at the dedication ceremony outside Riesterer’s Bakery.

“She cares about the quality of life and the history of both her homes in West Hempstead and Jamesport. She cares about the state of our nation. She cares about the world at large. Helen Duryea has made our lives and the world a truly better place.”

Helen isn’t the only Duryea integral to the history of West Hempstead. Duryea Terrace was named after their many contributions. The entire family supported the local fire department since the 1800s. Duryea’s father was the first superintendent of the West Hempstead school districts, and donated money from his own pocket toward bettering the school’s facilities.

Continuing in her father’s footsteps, Duryea to this day, funds annual scholarships at both John Hopkins University and Hofstra University. She also contributes to Jamesport Congregational Church, where a pew was dedicated in honor of her family.

McAvoy pointed out that a lot of people who had inherited family wealth like Duryea wouldn’t bother funneling it back into the community, or wouldn't still be living in the house they grew up in. Yet, Duryea still uses her time and resources to create beauty and community in West Hempstead — from big-picture projects like renovating local elementary schools, to minding small details such as making sure graves have flowers for every holiday. 

“Can you imagine that?” McAvoy said. “She has gone far, but through it all, she’s visited graves and put things on 14 graves every holiday for decades, for her loved ones.”

This, like most of Duryea’s work, is largely thankless. She does it because of her personal dedication to the community — some intrinsic drive to ensure everyone around her is getting the warmth and attention they deserve, regardless of whether they can or will express their gratitude.

“You’re talking about a really great person,” McAvoy said. “Too bad she’s 95, she could be president!”

Duryea was also a pioneer for women. She was born into a world where people thought women’s loftiest goal should be marriage, and one’s career should be childrearing. But Duryea never married. Rather, she went to business school and worked for a prominent real estate company. She eventually bought the company herself, and became one of the only licensed female real estate agents of the time.

“She’s just amazing. I can’t say enough about her,” McAvoy added.

Duryea sees the world changing around her. Even while World War II was going on, she said, people were warmer to each other than they are now. Now people are less kind to each other, she said. There’s less music. There’s more shooting. There’s more hatred. But she still believes in the core of West Hempstead’s character.

“In general, everybody loves each other,” she said.

“I think everybody should give back to the community they live in, I really do. That’s what makes a community stronger — if everybody pitches in a little bit, before you know it, you’re a very strong community. But everybody has to pitch in a little bit. Even just a little bit.”