Helen Marie Pracon

She was born in Keene, NH, October 6, 1931, the daughter of Michael B. and Helen (Slattery) Moynihan. She attended St. Joseph Regional School in Keene and was a graduate of Keene High School.

She went onto earn a bachelor degree in elementary education in 1953 from Keene Teachers College.

Following graduation, she began her work career as an educator, teaching in Rocky Hill CT. She met and later married John Pracon of Hartford. The couple moved to Wethersfield, CT, where together, the raised three children, David, Kevin and Penny.

While teaching in Rocky Hill, she started working on her master degree in recreational therapy at St. Joseph College in West Hartford. She worked for the Rocky Hills Recreation Department and was an aquatic exercise instructor for arthritis.

She developed a “Fun with Fitness” business, bringing exercise, music and fun to nursery schools and senior centers. She also worked for eleven years in Newington, CT at the Jefferson House as a therapeutic recreation director.

Following the death of her husband of 42 years, John, she returned to the area, residing at her lake house in Stoddard, NH. After several years, she met her high school friend, Warren Thayer of Harrisville, NH.

They married and were together for eleven years until his passing in 2011.

Helen always loved to keep busy. She was known as a “volunteer extraordinaire”. You could find Helen volunteering her services as a therapeutic recreation director and massage therapist at the Harrisville Community Church. Her classes loved her positive attitude, encouragement, compassion, and sense of humor.

In her later years, she continued as a volunteer with the Alzheimer patients at the Castle Center in Keene, offering music and exercise classes. She also taught aquatic exercise classes at Langdon Place of Keene.

She was a parishioner of St. Bernard Church and St. Margaret Mary Church, both in Keene, and a member of the Ladies of Saint Anne Sodality.

She is survived by her son, Kevin Pracon and his wife, Dalette, and children, Danny Rivas and his wife, Cari, Ryan Rivas and his wife, Lucy, Cory Rivas; daughter-in-law, Virginia Pracon and children, Alison Pracon, Jaysen Paphong, Brian Pracon; son-in-law, Mike Lafountain and children, Rebecca Lafountain, John Lafountain; and many great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her first husband, John Pracon; her second husband, Warren Thayer; a son, David Pracon; a daughter, Penny Lafountain; and a brother, Michael B. Moynihan.

Family and friends are invited to call on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, from 10:00 to 11:00am at the Foley Funeral Home, 49 Court Street, Keene, NH. A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated the same day at 11:30am in St. Bernard Church, 185 Main Street, Keene. Burial with committal prayers will be held on Thursday, April 17th at 10:30am in the Rose Hill Memorial Park, 580 Elm Street, Rocky Hill CT.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mrs. Pracon-Thayer’s memory to Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Services, PO Box 564, Keene, NH 03431.