A memorial mass was celebrated at Immaculate Conception Church on Wednesday, Dec. 2 for Helen R. Buczek. She died at her home in Secaucus. Helen was born in Philadelphia Pa., the only daughter of the late Aleksander and Bronislawa Buczek. She was predeceased by three brothers, Walter A. Buczek of Jacksonville Fla.; Alexander Buczek of Philadelphia,and Thaddeus T. Buczek of Brockton Mass.
After graduating in 1950 from Temple University in Philadelphia with a degree in physics, Helen began a career in information technology, and was among the pioneers responsible for the initial launch of the UNIVAC I computer system in 1951. Though designed to support business applications, in 1951 the UNIVAC I predicted Eisenhower’s landslide victory over the favored Adlai Stevenson in the 1952 presidential election.
Helen later worked on RCA computer systems, and was onsite at NBC television for computer election prognostication via the RCA 501 in 1960. This system successfully predicted John F. Kennedy’s victory in that year’s presidential election.
Helen eventually moved to the client side of business information technology, working most recently for Metropolitan Life in New York and Atlanta. She later retired to her home in Secaucus, where she was active in her church and many charities. In her younger years, she loved to ski and travel. She loved animals, and in later life worked to control and support abandoned pets and their feral offspring.
She is survived by several nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grand-nephews. Services arranged by the Mack Memorial Home, Secaucus.