Helen Beaumont Haskell Did Research in Optics

Helen Beaumont Park Haskell, formerly of West Chop and Greenwich, Conn., died March 8 at her home in Georgetown, Tex., from natural causes. She was 90 years old.

Mrs. Haskell was born on Feb. 3, 1916, to Helen Curtis and Halford Woodward Park and was the stepdaughter of Lucina Hilton Park, formerly of West Chop and Savannah, Ga.

Mrs. Haskell was graduated from Rosemary Hall in 1935 and Wellesley College in 1939. She earned a master's degree of science in physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1941. A woman well ahead of her time, Mrs. Haskell conducted cutting edge research on optics at the University of Rochester on behalf of the War Department. In addition to her contributions in science, Mrs. Haskell was also named to the U.S. national field hockey and lacrosse teams just prior to the beginning of World War II.

Mrs. Haskell was predeceased by her husband, William Peckham Haskell; her brother, Halford W. Park Jr.; a stepbrother, John Templeton Strong, and a stepsister, Audrey Strong Johnson.

She is survived by two sons, both of Georgetown, Tex., William Beaumont Haskell and Halford Whittier Haskell and his wife, Pamela Berich Haskell, and their sons, Halford Theodore and John Prater Haskell. Mrs. Haskell is also survived by a daughter, Helen Haskell MacCallum of Cambridge, and her daughters, Katherine Park and Elizabeth Hilton MacCallum, all formerly of Greenwich.

A graveside memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. March 25 at Hope Cemetery in Worcester.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Wesleyan Homes, 1105 Church street, Georgetown, TX 78626, or to any animal shelter of your choice.