Morelli, Helen, 1905-1996

Helen (Collins) Morelli was born in 1905 the oldest of nine children born to Elizabeth McCann and James P. Collins. Her father was an New York Police Department officer and suffered a heart attack, which widowed her mother. Helen helped her mother raise her siblings as both her mother and her uncle (who moved in after her father's death) worked outside of the home to support the family.

Helen met Antonio Morelli when she was working for Harry Rogers in their advertising department, where Morelli worked in the production department for Rogers. They dated for three years before marrying unannounced on December 28, 1935 in Albany, New York. She continued her work at Harry Rogers' company while Morelli traveled, and finished her contract before moving to join her husband in Las Vegas, Nevada when he started working at the Sands Hotel.

After her husband's passing, she sold their home and then moved back to New York to be closer to her family. She passed away in 1996 and is buried next to her husband in Las Vegas.

Source:

Junior League of Las Vegas. “Helen Morelli.” Accessed July 21, 2020. http://morellihouse.org/the-morellis/helen-morelli/.