Helen E. Simpson, Brockport’s iconic photographer, celebrated her “80-something birthday” during this unprecedented time. Helen, a photographer in the area for almost 50 years, owned and operated a photography studio in downtown Brockport for almost a half century. She retired from her photography business in 2007.
“Everyone loves her,” said daughter Kelly. Helen’s family wanted to honor her for her birthday despite the limitations caused by the pandemic and social distancing. They planned a surprise birthday parade in her honor. Helen’s daughters Kelly (Koss) and Lee Lee (Muesebeck) decided to organize this special event for their mom with the help of their husbands, family and friends, patrons from the photography studio, from the Brockport community and some as far as Syracuse and Buffalo.
The family made up a flyer and sent it out via text to Helen’s friends and family. Kelly had Helen over for a birthday lunch. After lunch while they were cleaning up, Kelly’s husband Mike staged a wicker chair, a box of tissues, and bottle of water for Helen at the base of the driveway at their Brockport home. “I prayed for sun and we got that and more,” said Kelly.
It was a beautiful day on May 3; the weather cooperated and all the plans came together perfectly. The family staged the parade at the Seymour Library parking lot. They began gathering at 10:45 a.m. and by 10:55 Kelly’s phone was dinging from text messages sent by friends who were at the library saying, “Wow, the whole town is here!” More than 70 cars were in the parade preparing to come down Kelly’s street off East Avenue while Helen unsuspectedly thought she was at her birthday lunch with just her daughter and son-in-law. After lunch and gifts, Kelly said to her Mom, “Come on, let’s go outside. I want to show you something.” As they walked down the driveway, Helen saw the wicker chair and asked if it was another gift. Kelly chuckled. Then the horns started beeping and Helen could begin to see the procession of cars coming down the road. Helen’s two nephews, Shawn and Don, were leading the parade down to Kelly’s house where Helen sat at the base of the driveway. “She started crying,” said Kelly. “I also was in tears. It was perfect.”
The motorcade of love poured out as friends and family beeped, waved, smiled, and sent love from their cars, trucks, SUVs, and even classic cars out for the first time of the season. Toby and Barb Unger came in their famous ‘61 Corvette as well, and five other classic cars paraded down Mission Hill paying tribute to Helen for her birthday.
The parade lasted approximately 20 minutes. Helen was able to see so many people she loves, and they were able to see her. “It was bittersweet,” said Kelly, “celebrating my Mom in such trying times for so many, but it was one of the happiest moments since the pandemic began. My Mom had the biggest smile the entire time. She has never felt so much love. It created more joy than I could have ever hoped for.”
Provided photos
