Skip to main content

Helen S. Rattray, Longtime Star Editor and Publisher, Dies at 90

Fri, 04/18/2025 - 14:45

Helen S. Rattray, the former longtime editor and publisher of The East Hampton Star, died early Wednesday morning at Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport.

Ms. Rattray, who was 90, became associate editor of the paper in 1976 and took over as editor in chief in 1980. Her "Connections" column appeared in The Star for 43 years, until 2020. 

A memorial gathering and celebration of her life will be held on Sunday, April 27, at 11 a.m. at Ashawagh Hall in Springs, with a potluck lunch to follow.

Villages

Item of the Week: Payment by the Yard, 1794

This weaver’s account book was kept by Benjamin Parsons, who began recording business transactions in 1794. His father was one of 49 weavers in East Hampton who signed the 1778 Loyalty Oath to the British.

Nov 13, 2025

Recognizing Grossman’s Half-Century of Activism

Karl Grossman, an author and educator who has tirelessly advocated for the environment and journalism, and against nukes, will be honored on Saturday at the Sag Harbor Cinema in a fund-raiser hosted by Fred Thiele. 

Nov 13, 2025

Stepping Up for Jamaica in Hurricane Melissa’s Wake

East Hampton Town’s Jamaican population has been focused on the news and social media since Melissa struck as a Category 5 storm last week, making landfall with winds up to 185 miles per hour.

Nov 6, 2025

 

Your support for The East Hampton Star helps us deliver the news, arts, and community information you need. Whether you are an online subscriber, get the paper in the mail, delivered to your door in Manhattan, or are just passing through, every reader counts. We value you for being part of The Star family.

Your subscription to The Star does more than get you great arts, news, sports, and outdoors stories. It makes everything we do possible.