Helen Brach

Helen Brach
Born
Helen Marie Voorhees

(1911-11-10)November 10, 1911
DisappearedFebruary 17, 1977 (aged 65)
Rochester, Minnesota, U.S.
StatusDeclared legally dead in May 1984
SpouseFrank Brach

Helen Marie Brach (née Voorhees; born November 10, 1911 – disappeared February 17, 1977) was an American multimillionaire widow whose wealth had come from marrying into the E. J. Brach & Sons Candy Company fortune; she endowed the Helen V. Brach Foundation to promote animal welfare in 1974.[1] Brach disappeared on February 17, 1977, and was declared legally dead, as of the date of her disappearance, in May 1984. An investigation into the case uncovered serious criminal activity associated with Chicago horse stable owners, including Silas Jayne and Richard Bailey. More than a decade later Bailey was charged with, but not convicted of, conspiring to murder Brach; he eventually received a sentence of 30 years after being convicted of defrauding her.

  1. ^ Leighty, Keith E. (1984-05-24). "Helen Vorhees Brach missing since '77 | Candy tycoon's widow legally dead now". Williamson Daily News. Associated Press. Retrieved 2011-05-30 – via Google News Archive.