December 30, 2012  

ALEXANDRIA BAY, N.Y.  —   Helethea R. Roy, 70, of 135 Northern Ave., died Saturday, Dec. 29, at her home.

Born May 2, 1942, in Watertown, the daughter of Seymour and Marjorie Monaghan Cooley, she graduated from Alexandria Central School and attended Jefferson Community College.

She married William Roy on Nov. 3, 1967, at Alexandria Bay United Methodist Church. Mr. Roy died March 3, 2004.

She began employment at the Thousand Islands Printing Co., publisher of the Thousand Islands Sun, in 1961. After her husband died she became co-owner, with her sister-in-law, Jeanne Roy Snow. Mrs. Roy retired in 2007.

Mrs. Roy was active in village and town government, serving on the Alexandria Bay Village’s board of trustees for eight years, before being elected Alexandria Bay’s first female mayor, a position she held for 10 years. She was also an elected assessor for the Town of Alexandria.

She was active in the American Legion Auxiliary, serving as unit president, county president, district president and as a member of the state executive committee. She received state and national awards for her auxiliary newsletters.

She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and Alexandria Bay Rebekah Lodge. She was a member of the Alexandria Bay United Methodist Church were she had held the office of secretary/treasurer and volunteered in the church’s nursery. She had served as treasurer of the Alexandria Township Historical Society and was a former Girl Scout leader.

Mrs. Roy was a life member and served on the board of directors of the Northern New York Agricultural Historical Society, and a life member of River Hospital Auxiliary. She is also a member of the Thousand Islands Bluegrass Association.

When Mrs. Roy was serving as mayor she saw a problem concerning the growing number of feral/abandoned cats and decided to handle it in a humane way, leading to the founding of Alley Cat Rescue in 1998 and had been president since its formation.

Mrs. Roy was named Alexandria Bay’s Citizen of the Year in 2009.

Surviving are a stepson, Larry Roy, and a stepdaughter, Amy Rodriguez, both of Texas; step-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Two brothers, Lynn and Peter Cooley, both died before her.

A celebration of life service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 5, at the Alexandria Bay United Methodist Church with Rev. Fredericka Webb officiating. A reception will follow at the John B. Lyman Post 904 American Legion on Rock Street in Alexandria Bay. 

Donations may be made in Mrs. Roy’s name to the Alexandria Bay Alley Cat Rescue, c/o Carol Coombs, PO Box 706, Alexandria Bay, NY 13607.

Arrangements are with Costello Funeral Home, Alexandria Bay.

Information provided by Costello Funeral Service and Newzjunky.com, Watertown