WALTHAM Mrs. Helen F. (Oates) Manning of Waltham, died Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2008, at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. She was 78. Born in Cambridge, a daughter of the late William F. and Helen F. (Ryan) Oates, she was raised in Watertown where she attended local schools. Helen moved from West Newton to Waltham in 1978. Until her retirement, Helen worked as a staff assistant at Brandeis University in Waltham. She leaves her children, William M. Manning and his wife, Jennifer, of Wilmington, Linda A. Imhof and her husband, Joe, of Nashua, N.H., Donna M. Vallerand and her husband, Gary, of Waltham, and Marsha F. Smith and her husband, Keith, of Burlington; her grandchildren, Jennifer, Andrea and Amy Vallerand, Laura and John Plaisted, Alex Imhof, Isabel Manning and Kristina, Rachel and Caitlyn Smith; and many nieces and nephews. Helen was also a sister of the late William and Robert Oates, Barbara Morin and Mary McCarthy. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral at 10 a.m., Friday, Dec. 5, at The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main St. (Rte. 20), Waltham, followed by a funeral Mass at Saint Jude Church, 147 Main St., Waltham, at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Saint Patricks Cemetery, Watertown. Visiting hours are Thursday, Dec. 4, from 4 to 8 p.m., at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to Saint Jude Church, 147 Main St., Waltham, MA 02453. To offer condolences online please visit www.joycefuneralhome.com.