Helen Iona Deets
May 15, 1908 - May 10, 2006
Obituary
Helen Iona Deets passed away May 10, 2006 in Burien, WA at 98. Helen was born May 15, 1907, the daughter of Iona Carolus Deets and Charles Tilden Deets, in Davenport, Washington. She worked for many years for the City of Seattle until her retirement in 1972. Helen shared residence and travel with Alpha Ritchey in West Seattle. Helen is survived by her sister-in-law, Dorothy Deets of Bellingham, Washington. Other close members of Helen’s family who will miss her quick wit are nieces Charlotte Aamot of Bellingham, Barbara Adams of Stockton, California and Lorettamae Schneider of Burlington, Washington; and nephews Allyn Deets, Paul Lindstrom, and Merlin Reeck of Bellingham, Walter Deets of Kalispell, Idaho, and Howard Garber of Lopez Island, Washington.
Helen graduated from Bellingham High School in 1924 and attended Bellingham Normal School now Western Washington University for a brief period before completing business school in Washington, D.C., where she worked for several years before returning to her beloved Washington State, which she called “God’s Country.”
At her 90th birthday party, great-grand-niece Gloria Schneider-Kyle recapped Helen’s life in the following way: “She has lived her life with courage, dignity and fire.” No one who knew Helen well could disagree.
Great Aunt Helen was always a very involved member of our family. I remember so well going to my grandparents, Victor and Ada Deets Garber, for Friday night television and card games with all my aunts, uncles and cousins. It was so fun to be Helen’s pinochle partner because she was so competitive and made sure you knew every “Trick” in the book! I have so many memories of going to Helen and Alpha Ritchey’s home on Alki and cabin on Widbey Island and going beach combing. I remember helping them move their home from Alki beach to Admiral Way and I mean the “Whole House” not just the contents! My dad and mom Kenneth and Ardith Garber and I brought native plants home from our farm in Centralia and in one night put in the entire front yard landscaping including a simulated NW lawn, so fitting for Seattle, made up entirely out of moss no grass allowed. So much easier to maintain! We will always have Aunt Helen in our hearts and in our spirits. If you ever knew Helen, you know how her spirit infected you! Love always, Brian K. Garber