Helen Christy James

Helen Christy (Urquhart) James, 80, of Plainville, MA, died at Rhode Island Hospital, surrounded by family and loved ones, on Monday, July 17, 2017, from injuries sustained in a two-car collision.For 58 years, Helen was the wife of the late Owen I. James, who passed away this past April. She is survived by three sons: Joseph R. James and his wife Susan; Scott E. James and his husband Jerry R. Cain and Christopher M. James, and by a grandson Owen J. James, his fiancée Samantha Stotz, and a great-granddaughter, Madison S. James, and a brother, Edward M. Urquhart.Helen was born on July 8, 1937 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Providence, the daughter of Clarence Miller Urquhart and Margaret Helen Taylor Urquhart, both immigrants from Nova Scotia. Helen graduated from Attleboro High School class of 1955, and Bryant College class of 1957. That's where she met her future husband Owen when they shared a carpool.As a longtime member of the Second Congregational Church in Attleboro, Helen was especially active in the church's outreach and missions, helping with the food pantry and family café meals for those in need. As an avid reader she belonged to a book club, and was a devoted patron of the North Attleboro Public Library.She was also known for a remarkably active lifestyle that defied her age, going to the Attleboro YMCA several times a week, taking classes in weight training, aerobics, yoga and kick-boxing.A memorial service for Helen will be held at Second Congregational Church in downtown Attleboro on Saturday, July 22, at 10 a.m., followed by a collation in the church hall.In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Helen's name to the Second Congregational Church in Attleboro, specifying the outreach and missions programs.For additional information or to send the family a written expression of sympathy, please visit an online guest book at www.dyer-lakefuneralhome.com . Arrangements are under the direction of the Dyer-Lake Funeral Home, 161 Commonwealth Avenue, Village of Attleboro Falls, North Attleboro. (508) 695-0200