Helen Mary Helfrich

Helen Mary was born in New York City, New York on October 6, 1944. Three months earlier her father had landed at Normandy during the invasion of France. When the war was over her Father returned and the family lived in Philadelphia. In 1949 the family moved to Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Helen attended St Patricks Parochial school in Kennett for 8 years graduating in 1958. She then attended Kennett Consolidated High school and graduated in 1962. While at Kennett she enjoyed playing the organ and working on her school's yearbook. Helen was accepted at Hahnemann University Hospital Nursing school (now Drexel) in Philadelphia and graduated with her RN degree in 1965. Shortly thereafter she joined the United States Air Force as a Second Lieutenant. For two years, Helen served as a Flight nurse on C-141 aircraft attending to wounded soldiers returning stateside from the Vietnam War. Helen was subsequently stationed in both Texas and Alaska, where she met Bernie Helfrich. Helen continued her Nursing career in the Air Force until 1972 and retired as a Captain. Bernie and Helen were married on May 13, 1972 and later transferred to Texas, where Helen worked in nursing at St. David's hospital in Austin, Texas.. After resigning from the Air Force, Bernie and Helen went to work in Saudi Arabia for 3 years. Both Helen and Bernie loved travel and enjoyed many trips, including Africa safaris. They decided after living in the Middle East to fulfill Bernie's dream of owning a spread and selected Pe Ell Washington. Helen later received her BS in Business Administration from City University in 1999 and pursued a career in teaching nursing - a lifetime avocation to which she was dedicated. Helen worked in a number of nursing, teaching and guardianship roles in Western Washington since 1979 - including 15 years as the owner of Sianni Care Management, a small geriatric care management firm. Since 2011, Helen taught Caregiving classes to students at Tacoma Community College, and was passionate about sharing her knowledge with her beloved students. Helen never met an animal she didn't like and always had the companionship of cats. She also enjoyed classical music and opera and loved her time with her girlfriends. She is survived by her husband, Bernie; brothers, Paul McCauley and Joseph McCauley; and a sister, Maureen McCauley and many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins. She will be missed by her family and friends and her many students.

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