Helene Augusta Brown passed away peacefully on August 26, 2026, at the age of 92, in Helena.
Helene Arrotta was born on May 23, 1934, in Newburgh, New York. She attended local schools in Newburgh, and attended Ladycliff College in Highland Falls, New York, for a time after her graduation from high school.
Helene met her husband, Robert Brown, on a blind date during her senior year in high school. He was a Plebe Cadet at West Point. They were married 4 years later, on graduation day, in a beautiful wedding, complete with crossed sabers. Bob and Helene were married for 48 wonderful years before Bob’s passing in 2003. Helene once said, “A woman could be no more blessed than I was to have such a precious gift from God to be my life’s partner.”
After getting married, Helene and Bob spent the next 20 years at various military posts in Kentucky, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, California, New Jersey, the Republic of Panama, and Germany. Their daughter, Kathleen (Kathy), was born at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and their daughter Susan (Sue) was born two years later at West Point. Helene played the role of a single parent to Kathy and Sue when Bob served in Korea and, later, in Vietnam.
When Bob retired from the Army in 1972, the family moved to Montana. The act of relocating in the Army stayed in Bob and Helene’s blood, and they lived in Missoula, Hardin, Bozeman, Helena, and the Flathead Valley.
After raising her daughters, Helene went back to college at Montana State University in 1979. She didn’t pursue a degree, but she was a 4.0 student while at MSU.
Helene was a very giving person. Her primary love language was giving gifts to her family, which brought her great joy.
Helene was both smart and talented, and her many interests included reading, classical music, cooking, skiing, traveling, playing the violin, and doing crossword puzzles. However, Helene said her greatest interest (passion) was getting to know her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Along with her loving husband and best friend, Bob, and her children and grandchildren, her greatest joy came from knowing Jesus.
Helene’s survivors include her two daughters Kathy Bischoff, of Helena, and Sue (Bill) Salonen of Great Falls. Her grandchildren, who called her Nonnie, include: Luke (Joanna) Bischoff, Lake Stevens, Washington; Andrew (Mimi) Salonen, Firestone, Colorado; Joel (Chavon) Bischoff, Las Vegas, Nevada; Ryan Salonen, Washington DC; Amy (Ryan) Mulligan, Spokane, Washington; Ellen Bischoff, Helena, Montana, and Mary (Josh) Eder, Boulder, Montana.
Helene dearly loved her 10 great grandchildren, which include: Zachary, Oliver, Natalie, Ellie, Jude, Ben, Bridger, Emery, Abel, and Adriana. Helene also had two nephews: Jeffrey Arrotta and David Arrotta.
Along with her parents, Helene’s husband, Robert Brown, her brother, Louis (Louie) Arrotta, and son-in-law, Don Bischoff, preceded Helene in death.
A favorite quote of Helene’s was, “Across the years I will walk with you- in deep green forests; on shores of sand; And when our time on earth is through, in Heaven, too, you will have my hand.”
- Robert Sexton
