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Helen Lynn Nichols, 70 of Hampton Place Boulevard, passed away on September 15, 2020, in Auburn, Maine surrounded by her family. She was born in Albany, a daughter of Richard and Lois (Newcomb) Nichols. 

Lynn attended Shaker High School and Guilderland High School. Lynn attended Maria College where she graduated with an associate degree. With sights set on law school, she worked at a law firm as a paralegal. She assisted on many cases that fueled her passion for helping others and navigating complex legal and financial matters. 

In 1976, she started a family and put her career on hold to raise her two daughters, Kathryn Conners Martin and Molly Conners Noe. Lynn focused her passion on family and philanthropic affairs by organizing numerous craft fairs and fundraisers at her daughter's schools. Lynn considered Truro, Mass. her second home. Her parents had a home that was the heart of the family. Memories in Cape Cod were built around spending time with family, walks on the beach searching for clams, seashells and spent evening's playing cards and talking with her sisters. Cape Cod became the cornerstone of family memories dearest to her. 

In 1989, Lynn moved to Boca Raton, Fla. She joined Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club and became ranked as the Women's Doubles club champion from 1992, 1993 and 1994. Lynn was a competitively ranked USTA Doubles tennis player and Eastern Section champion in 2011 and 2012. Her competitive spirit and love of the game was passed down to her daughters and granddaughters.

 Lynn reconnected with her love of the financial industry and was a senior administrative manager at Morgan Stanley for seven years. She led branch administrators and key operations in South Florida. In 2001, she lost friends in the 9/11 tragedy in New York and decided to return to philanthropic ventures. She hosted an exchange program for women in Guadalajara to come to South Florida to attend tennis clinics led by Lynn. 

Human rights, dignity and advancement of individuals with disabilities were causes close to Lynn during her time at the Soroptimist International Association and Twin Palms Center for the disabled. She spearheaded grant funding for the center and their annual christmas party. Family was everything to Lynn and she moved back to Albany in 2006 and turned her focus to supporting education. She worked at Empire State College and SUNY charter schools where she advanced the mission of higher education and support of charter schools. 

In 2015, Lynn helped Molly start Phiphen Pictures, a film and television production company. Lynn worked as an accounting executive at Phiphen and was an integral part of the day to day to operations as well as on each individual film project. She worked on a number of films at Phiphen and helped overseeing expenses and planning a variety of productions and media funds. Lynn continued to work at Phiphen up until the last week of her life. 

Lynn was a beloved mother, grandmother, sister and friend who will be deeply missed. She was predeceased by her parents, Richard and Lois Nichols. She is survived by her daughters, Kathryn Conners Martin and her husband Theodore Martin of Saratoga Springs, and Molly Conners Noe and her husband Christian "Nighthawk" Noe of Yarmouth, Maine; her loving grandchildren whom she helped raise, Emma Clare Martin, Madeline Lois Martin, Dolly Booker Noe and Dusty Rogers Noe; her sisters, Barbara Ahl, Lois Maroney, Laurie Ryan and Jayne Shahda. 

A private memorial service was held for immediate family in Cape Cod, Mass. in October. Due to the restrictions COVID-19 presents, there will be a celebration of Lynn's life at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Project ALS to support research and ongoing efforts to raise awareness for ALS cure: Donate Now.