Helen Ward Burke, a longtime Rye resident, died peacefully in her home on December 19, 2016. She was 100.

A consummate and charming homemaker, she had the gift of engaging family and friends in the arts, politics, Airedales, and sports, notably, her adored Yankees. She also mastered the art of French cooking. “Les canards gave her kitchen wide birth, lest they end up suitably sauced,” noted her family.

She was born February 5, 1916, in Chicago, to Burt and Elizabeth (Birks) Ward of Madison, Wisconsin.

A Larchmont resident during her formative years, she became a champion swimmer and diver for Orienta Beach Club, setting records that were not bested for 30 years, and only then by her daughter Barbie.