Helen Brigham Holman

TOPSHAM – Helen Brigham Holman, born Helene Yvonne Brigham on Jan. 4, 1936, in Glen Ridge, NJ, passed away peacefully on Feb. 23, 2026. While our hearts are heavy, we share this news with gratitude that she is now at rest after a full, adventurous, and deeply meaningful life.

Helen’s love of learning shaped her life from the very beginning. She attended Radcliffe College and Harvard University, where she pursued studies in linguistics, later continuing her education at the Sorbonne in Paris, France, and earning a Master of Education from Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. She devoted herself to teaching, sharing her knowledge of French, Russian, and Spanish, and later English as a second language with both high school students and adult learners. She remained multilingual, sharp, and endlessly curious throughout her life, faithfully completing the daily crossword nearly every day until the end and, in her own candid way, remarking on the indignities of aging with comments like, “It sucks to grow old.”

Horses were one of the great loves of her life. A dedicated equestrian for more than 65 years, Helen rose early each morning to care for her horses well into her mid-eighties. She operated a horse farm for 20 years, first in Litchfield, Conn., and later in Maine. She had a discerning eye for exceptional horses and took pride in raising many of remarkable quality. Some of the sweetest memories belong to her granddaughters, who remember time spent in the barn, riding with her, and listening to her steady, confident guidance. She also found joy in driving her horses, dressage, and sharing that quiet partnership and sense of freedom with those she loved.

Her love of animals extended far beyond the barn. She adored dogs throughout her life, especially the Labrador Retrievers who were part of her children’s younger years, and she carried a deep affection and respect for animals of every kind. She also loved cats, the most recent being her spirited companion PITA, whose name she said stood for “Pain in the Ass.” In recent years, she delighted in the photos and stories of her beloved “grand-dogs,” treasuring each update and proudly sharing their antics with friends.

Helen first married William Bradfield Hutchings, with whom she shared two children. Years later, she reconnected with Wayne J. Holman III, whom she had first known while she was a student at Harvard and he was a graduate student at M.I.T. Their reunion led to a marriage filled with adventure, including many travel and diving trips across the Caribbean, the Red Sea, and the South Pacific. Even after remarrying, Helen maintained warm and meaningful ties with extended family from earlier chapters of her life, a testament to her character, grace, and the respect she carried for the people who had shared in her journey.

She is survived by her husband, Wayne J. Holman; her daughter, Amy B. McDonough and her husband David P. McDonough, her son, Charles W. Hutchings and his wife Melissa M. Hutchings; and her three beloved granddaughters, Kyrsta M. Hutchings, Nella C. Hutchings, and Fiona Y. McDonough.

Helen will be remembered not only for her intellect and independence, but for her strength, integrity, wit, and the intensity with which she loved her family, her animals, and the life she built. A celebration of her life will be held this summer, with details to be shared with family and friends.

In lieu of flowers,

please consider donation in her name to one of her favorite charities:

the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals https://www.msspa.org/give/