Helen Mae Kludt
August 7, 1920 - November 28, 2011
Obituary
Helen Mae Dorles Kludt
August 7, 1920 – November 28, 2011
Helen was born to sailing ship captain Harold Dorles and his wife Lula in Portland, Oregon. She was the second of three children with sisters Esther and Edna. Although Helen was diagnosed with a heart murmur as a young child, she always displayed a tenacity and determination to overcome any limitations that imposed. She attended Mills Open Air School, Glencoe Elementary and Washington High School. She attended the University of Oregon and was affiliated with the Pi Beta Phi sorority. She left after one year and went on to graduate from secretarial school. Helen became the assistant to the Dean of Men and Women at Reed College. Although she loved her work at Reed College, she left for a career at United Airlines as a ticketing agent. While working there, she met a handsome young ticket agent from Northwest Airlines at the airport coffee shop. She and the love of her life, Willis, married on New Year’s Eve, 1946. Within 2 ½ years the family grew to four children – John “Randy”, twins Heidi and Petra and Allen. In 1953 Willis was transferred to Seattle as a pilot for Northwest Airlines and the family permanently settled in Normandy Park. Willis and Helen moved their family in 1956 into the home by Miller Creek which they would own and cherish for the next 55 years. Throughout all the years Helen always remained active in the community. She was involved in PTA, Bluebirds, Campfire Girls, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. She held the first annual bazaar at the Cove to support the Foreign Exchange Club for Highline High School. She dearly loved Normandy Park and was a Councilwoman taking over her husband’s position after he died in 1981. She was then elected for another term herself and was a great advocate for nature preservation and environmental stewardship. She was a main leader in the effort to preserve Miller Creek in its natural state, rather than having it turned into a 60’ wide L.A. style drainage ditch. Helen also was a very enthusiastic supporter of the Arts. She was a member of the S.W. Guild of the Seattle Art Museum, the Burien Art Gallery and the Burien Historical Society. As a local historian she contributed articles to the Highline Times and co-authored “Wonderful World of Woods and Water: A History of Normandy Park”. She was also a member of the Daughters of Norway and the Ila Clark Arboretum Unit #7 Garden Club. She loved her home and her garden and enjoyed sharing both with neighbors and the community. Helen hosted many events including family gatherings, weddings, garden tours, garden club, Normandy Park Centennial Celebrations, outdoor Shakespeare plays, Gilbert and Sullivan cast parties and political fund raising events which were attended by the Governor, Senators and Representatives. Most of all, she was a loving wife, mother of four, grandmother of 17 and great-grandmother of 11. In lieu of flowers, please send any donations to the S.W. Guild of the Seattle Art Museum c/o Ms. Caulfied at 160 SW Normandy Rd. #113, Normandy Park, WA 98166 or to the Ila Clark Arboretum Unit #7 c/o Ms. Sanga 18148 Normandy Terrace S.W. Normandy Park, WA 98166. There will be private family services next week and a community memorial at a later date.
We love you Gram! You will be missed but in our thoughs and hearts always!
I will always have fond memories of hanging out at the Kludt house. The battles of Risk have never been fought in a more gracious home. And I will always fondly remember Mrs. Kludt welcoming us – even after a big dog destroyed the Christmas decorations.
We have enjoyed knowing Helen in Solveig Lodge, Daughters of Norway, for many years. Some of our most special memories are of a Sankt Hans picnic a few years ago, concluding with a sharing time around a fire and stories of “the old country”. Our lodge members miss Helen, and will look forward to her community memorial when it is announced. She was a very special lady.