In Memorium: Helen Putnam Sokopp

By Joan Harrigan

When Helen Sokopp passed away on April 10, 2015, she had lived a remarkable life by any measure. She had two families—the Bostonian Putnams and her extended “dog family.”  It was possible to know her in one world without an understanding of all she’d accomplished in another.

Helen was born in Boston, and spent summers in Manchester-by-the-Sea, on the north shore of Massachusetts. She was a graduate of Wellesley College and the Radcliffe Management Training Program, which preceded the admission of women to the Harvard Business School.  After graduation, Helen left Boston for Europe, where attended graduate school at the University of Munich.  She settled there, and worked for Radio Free Europe—describing her job to a friend as “a mix of a secretary and a courier.”  While at RFE, she met her husband, Edward Sokopp, who had served in the Polish resistance.  Together, they traveled extensively, engaged in rally road racing, and despite a lack of experience in sailing, sold their home and took up residence on a sailboat.  They explored the Mediterranean, eventually sailing across the Atlantic.

After several years of sailing around the Caribbean and the Atlantic Coast, they settled in Manchester-by-the Sea.  When the Sokopps sailed, they weren’t alone—they were accompanied by a black Standard Poodle, which Helen said was considered a bad omen in some southern Mediterranean ports.  Helen’s mother, of course, was Mrs. George Putnam, of Puttencove Kennels in Essex, Mass.  Today, Mrs. Putnam is probably best remembered for her great white standard, Ch Puttencove Promise, who took Best in Show at Westminster in 1958.  When asked about him, Helen would explain that she really didn’t know him, as she was in Europe during his show career.  But poodles were in her blood, and when she reestablished herself in Massachusetts, she started her own line under the Syrena prefix.  As a tribute to her years on the water, her dogs’ registered and call names came from terms related to the wind, sailing, and the ocean.

Helen loved showing, and when she competed, she did so to win.  But her appreciation of the Standard Poodle went much deeper than that.  Her poodles were her companions and her friends—significantly, Helen’s “heart dog” Syrena Friendship Sloop was called simply “Friend.” Later in life, she developed an interest in agility, and loved training and competing with her dogs.  She loved planning breedings and raising puppies, and made many new friends among those who bought pet puppies from her.  And, Helen loved learning and helping others through mentoring.  She had a keen interest in canine genetics and health testing, and was never too busy to share her knowledge with people coming up in her breed.  She particularly loved evaluating litters of puppies, and was never too busy to drive to see a friend’s litter.

Helen died after a short illness, and her passing came as a shock to many of her friends.  She was such an institution—at the Poodle Club of America and the Ladies Dog Club (she was a past president of both) and at the Poodle Club of Massachusetts, where she served on the board and in many leadership positions.  Helen was always so enthusiastic, so full of life and vitality, that it was hard to believe that PCA and PCM would have their 2015 shows without her.

A person’s legacy is truly the influence that they had on others.  Here’s an indication of Helen Sokopp’s legacy:

From Linda Campbell, Dawin Poodles, Canada:  “Helen Sokopp was a mentor and a really good friend of mine for over 25 years. We met originally when she first bred to one of my stud dogs, and we kept in touch on a frequent basis by telephone, yearly at PCA, as well as times when I flew out to stay with her for a few days. We even travelled to Sweden together for the World show and had a fabulous time not only seeing and discussing all the poodles over there but visiting and touring the wonderful city of Stockholm.

Helen had not only a true love of the poodle but a great wealth of knowledge which she gladly shared. She was also deeply concerned with the health and betterment of the breed. On a more personal level, Helen was a kind, caring, ethical and intelligent individual with a great sense of humor. Helen’s passing has left a huge gap in my doggy life, but the memory of her will remain with me forever.”

From Jennifer Dege, Refinne Poodles, Minnesota: “What I admired most about Helen was that she was willing to take any novice under her wing—she shared her knowledge, her bloodline, and her friendship.  Without her Ch Syrena Right-of-Way TP, there is no way that my mother and I would have gotten where we are today in poodles.”

From Andy Kress, Woodlore Poodles, Massachusetts: “Helen was a mentor and a close friend.  She was a pillar of the poodle world, and her background led her to form strong opinions about what was right and wrong, and what was a good and a bad dog.  She taught people her sense of ethics, and was a real stalwart.  Helen was generous with her time and her friendship—I think that some of the people who have recently entered the breed don’t have a true sense of her contributions.”

Not a bad way to be remembered.  Helen Sokopp will be missed.

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Posted by chesliepickett on May 7 2015. Filed under Breaking News, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.