Sr. Helen Mason
(Name in Religion: Sr. Helen Mason
Sr. Helen Louise Mason, SP died on August 28, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at Swedish First Hill Medical Center, Seattle, WA, at 80 years of age, after 61 years as a Sister of Providence. Vigil Service: Monday, September 28, 2026, 3:30 p.m., St. Joseph Residence Chapel, 4800 37th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA. Funeral Mass: Tuesday, September 29, 2026, 11:00 a.m. St. Joseph Residence Chapel. Burial: Thursday, October 1, 2026, Holy Cross Cemetery, Spokane, WA at 1:00 p.m. Bonney-Watson Funeral Home, Seattle, WA, is in charge of the arrangements.
Sr. Helen was born at St. Mary Hospital (now Providence St. Mary Medical Center) in Walla Walla, WA on November 6, 1945, to Agnes Mary (Ruzicka) and Roland Richard Mason. She was her parents’ only child. After her parents divorced, she grew up on her maternal grandparent’s farm, southwest of Walla Walla, close to the Oregon state line. She attended DeSales High School in Walla Walla, graduating in 1964 as co-valedictorian. She first met the Sisters of Providence before she went to school, seeing them at St. Vincent Academy and St. Mary Hospital. In her elementary and high school years, she had Sisters of Providence as her teachers. She was inspired to explore the vocation to religious life by one of her teachers, her parish priest, and her familiarity with the Sisters of Providence community. Sr. Helen entered the Sisters of Providence community in 1964, became a Novice in 1965, received First Vows in 1967, and Final Vows in 1973.
In 1969, Sr. Helen received a BA in Social Science, Seattle University, and in 1974, she received a MRE (Master’s in Religious Education) degree from Seattle University.
Sr. Helen’s lifelong dream was to be a teacher like one of her aunts. Her first ministry as a Sister of Providence was as a teacher at St. Francis Xavier School, Missoula, MT (1969-71). Sr. Helen was a farm girl and always cared about small towns. Her ministries in smaller communities included: Director, religious education in Idaho’s five counties (1971-80); Bi-Parish Religious Education, Coeur D’Alene, ID (1974-80); and coordinating the Neighborhood Parish Program, St. Mary’s Parish, Spokane Valley, WA (1980-88). She served on her religious community’s leadership team as Provincial Secretary/Councilor, Spokane, WA (1988-99). In 2000, Sr. Helen moved to Walla Walla to live with her mother. In Walla Walla, she ministered at a parish doing home visits and began writing chronicles of some the Providence institutions.
Sr. Helen lived a life filled with kindness, compassion, and faith. She had impeccable organizational skills, and as a lifelong teacher, she was a great mentor and had quick recall of necessary information. Her religious community enriched her, and she had a great interest in the rich history of the community. She felt blessed to have followed in the footsteps of the Sisters who came before her. We thank Sr. Helen for all she did to make the world a best place. We will miss her.
Her parents, Agnes Mary and Roland Richard Mason preceded her in death. She is survived by her extended family, and her religious community.
Memorial contributions may be made in her honor to the Sisters of Providence Retirement Fund, 1801 Lind Avenue SW, M1-C, Renton, WA 98057-9016. To view Sr. Helen’s obituary and picture, and to sign her memory book, please visit the website for Bonney-Watson Funeral Home at www.bonneywatson.com.
