Helen Bottos

Helen Supica Bottos, age 89 of Bloomington, IN, passed away on July 13, 2019. She was born at her home in Gary, Indiana on February 11, 1930. She was the last of the three girls for Simo and Stana Supica. She grew up living a simple life along with her two sisters, Mary and Sophie. They lived through the depression and wars, but they always had their needs met. She attended Lew Wallace school for 12 years and graduated with honors. After she turned 50, she started taking college courses to help with her career. She met her husband, Louis (Chink) Bottos, through a neighbor, after he returned from serving in the Army. She said she answered her door with her hair curled up in rags when she first met him. They married on June 26, 1949 and had their first son, Gerald, not long after. Sadly, he only lived a few months, but they went on to have 4 girls in quick succession: Carol, Nancy, Sandy and Patti. Then, they decided another son was not in the stars for them! Helen worked as a medical records supervisor from 1967 through 1978 at Ross Medical Clinic and from 1979 to 1984 at the Methodist Hospital in that same capacity. She ended her career with Dr. Kumpol Dennison, whom she worked with from 1986 to 2005. She loved her duties there and her experience working 15 years for the Asian American Society with he and his wife.Helen was always filled with joy and had an endless supply of love. She was constantly adding people to her biological family through her love. As a result, she has a large extended adopted family, filled with many people whom had already lost their own mothers and grandmothers, so she willingly stepped into that role. She recently said that her family was still growing bigger every day! She had a great listening ear and anyone she encountered felt immediately accepted just as they were. She encouraged others and had sage advice when asked. She had a great faith in God and talked about what she believed with no hesitation or apology. Her faith was her source of joy and she often said that being unhappy or upset really served no purpose, so she wore her smile and tried to stay positive at all times. She was beloved, and her family was very important to her. There was no shortage of love and joy when she interacted with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. One of her favorite sayings to her family was “I love you more!”. It was a game with many to try to get to say it before she could! Helen also had a great sense of humor. She was able to laugh at herself and she said that she was always happy to be the source of laughter for others. Using her ability to crochet and sew, she served her Lord by making afghans, crib sheets, lap blankets for the wheel chair bound, hats for cancer patients and premature babies and was active in her church’s prayer shawl ministry. Helen also was a past deacon at Christ Presbyterian in Winfield, Indiana and still served in their church’s prayer ministry. She would pray daily for the needs and people listed. Even though she never met or knew many of the people she prayed for, she believed strongly in the power of prayer. She was a current member at First Presbyterian Church in Bloomington, Indiana where she lived. For the past 6 or 7 years, Helen wintered in Texas where she was an honorary Texan and Methodist. She escaped the cold weather of Indiana and enjoyed two Springs as she loved watching the blooming Texas flowers first and Indiana flowers later when she returned home. She used to tell people she was born a Serbian Orthodox, practiced her whole life as a Presbyterian and she was now a winter Methodist! Helen was welcomed into heaven and the arms of her Savior, Jesus Christ on July 13, 2019 where she was also reunited with her husband on his 93rd birthday. She was preceded in death by husband: Louis (Chink) Bottos; and her son: Gerald Bottos; parents: Simo and Stana Supica; sisters: Mary Fick and Sophie Dingman; son-in -law: Fred Hindbaugh. Helen was survived by daughters: Carol (Greg) Glazar of St. Paul, Indiana; Nancy Thomas of Sugar Land, Texas; Sandra Hindbaugh of Moscow, Michigan and Patti (Joe) Bottos- Campano of Valparaiso, IN, Sons in love: James (Pam) Williams of Chesterton, Indiana and Tom (Holly) Thomas of Richmond, Texas; Daughters in love: Deepti Aurora (Devinder) Sachdeva of Fresh Meadows, New York and Bhawana Minty Aurora (Saurabh) Goel of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Grandchildren: Sarah (Daniel) Carnes of Bloomington, Indiana; Tyson Hindbaugh of Moscow, Michigan; Molly (Jim) Vaccaro of Mooresville, North Carolina; Ryan Thomas of Milwaukie, Oregon; Zachary (Kim) Campano of Zionsville, Indiana; Stacey (Matt Calabrese) Thomas of Jersey Village, Texas; Tyler (Angela) Glazar of Montgomery, Texas; Jennifer (David Costa) Campano of Chesterton, Indiana and Becky (Kyle) Johnson of The Woodlands, Texas.Great grandchildren: Cole Carnes, Caelen Carnes, Sarah Sachdeva, Alaina Vaccaro, Payton Glazar, Meghan Sachdeva, Arin Goel, Gemma Campano, Charlotte Johnson, Ryder Glazar, Rocco Campano, Abilgail Johnson, Rian Goel, Eleanor Johnson and Luca Campano. Friends may visit with Helen’s family on Sunday, July 21, 2019 from 12-6 pm at Burns Funeral Home, 10101 Broadway, Crown Point, IN. Funeral service Monday, July 22nd at 11 am at Burns (Crown Point). Interment Calvary Cemetery, Portage, IN. www.burnsfuneral.com

Helen Bottos

February 11, 1930 - July 13, 2019