Helen Dent
Helen Dent, 91, of Gardiner passed away June 3, 2011, in Port Angeles.
She was born to Charles Frederick and Maude Frances (Hochstein) Sawyer on November 27, 1919, in Hudson, Wisconsin.
She was born to Charles Frederick and Maude Frances (Hochstein) Sawyer on November 27, 1919, in Hudson, Wisconsin.
Helen married Howard Dent Jr., on May 4, 1957, in The Dalles, OR. He preceded her in death in April 1974.
Mrs. Dent attended business school to become a legal secretary. She was also the developer of Mains Farm in Sequim and Sunshine Acres in Diamond Point. Helen bred shorthorn cattle. Mrs. Dent was an avid Seattle Seahawks and Mariners fan. She joined Bible study at the Gardiner Community Church; the Rhododendron Grange in Gardiner; and the Gardiner Garden Club. She also enjoyed her Tuesday and Wednesday Bunco Groups. |
Helen is survived by her nephew, Charles Sawyer of Sequim; nieces Susan Sawyer of California, and Nancy Berins of Wisconsin; and grandnephews and grandnieces Guy Wenzel, Mark Wenzel, Cindy Large, Vicky Lesar, Kari Beder, Becky Werner, Gale Sigler, Sue Heitzman, Sandra Slepicka, Andy Sawyer, Vicky Holden, and Jeff Berens.
Memories of Aunt Hela (Helen)
by Glen and Kari
by Glen and Kari
She was a kind, intelligent, witty, generous woman. She always looked forward to our trips out to Washington from Wisconsin. She always wanted to know when our next trip wad going to be -even before the visit we were on was over.
Thanksgiving- We often times visited over Thanksgiving and it was always twice as much fun when her birthday fell during the same week. Turkey, stuffing, balloons, and ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. It was always so much fun! We loved helping get the turkey ready and making stuffing with her. She always had a jello salad to make and loved trying new recipes.
Thanksgiving- We often times visited over Thanksgiving and it was always twice as much fun when her birthday fell during the same week. Turkey, stuffing, balloons, and ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. It was always so much fun! We loved helping get the turkey ready and making stuffing with her. She always had a jello salad to make and loved trying new recipes.
We loved her silly little giggle. We often times just sat in the kitchen and talked for hours. No matter what, at least once in the conversations we'd get to hear her laugh. She was so filled of life! It was so much fun.
The car rides through sunshine acres was great fun. She always showed us what was new or what had changed and usually concluded the trip by telling us which places were for sale and asking "were you interested in any?"
The car rides through sunshine acres was great fun. She always showed us what was new or what had changed and usually concluded the trip by telling us which places were for sale and asking "were you interested in any?"
Other favorite memories of Aunt Hela
-how she would sit in her chair in the evening with legs over the arm rest like a little kid -hot cakes on Sundays years ago -breakfast after church with the ladies -trips to costco -visits to the pasture to say "hi" to her girls -How good it felt to sit next to her in church and knowing how happy that made her -The little song/saying she'd recite as we made our way down the driveway from a trip to town: "Home again, Home again, Jiggity jog!"
Memories of Helen
Some time ago in Gardiner, a school bus full of preschool boys from a Catholic school in Tacoma broke down and was stranded overnight. Marty Pearson, secretary at Gardiner Community Church, knew exactly what to do. "I called Helen," she said. "That was the thing to do."
Helen called the Gardiner Grange and arranged for the Gardiner Community Center to be opened up for the 30-odd little boys and their teachers. Neighbors and friends brought blankets and cooked food and Helen opened up her own basement as temporary housing as well. "She knew everybody and was always available to help." Mardy said.
Helen was instrumental in developing Mains Farm in Sequim and Sunshine Acres community in Diamond Point. She moved to Gardiner in 1959 with her husband, Howard. At age 87 she built her last spec home in Sunshine Acres and told her great-niece Kari Beder she finally could retire. "Funny thing is she never really retired, she just moved on to something else," Kari says.
Helen was the 'go-to' person for Gardiner history because she was an integral part of the development of the area. She kept a small heard of cows, which she called her "girls," and named every one of them, treated them as pets the same as her toy poodle, Buttons.
Marty said she will remember Helen for her "kindness, her love and her intelligence. She was a highly intelligent lady and she cared about people." In keeping with her caring, generous spirit, Helen left a portion of her estate to the Gardiner Community Church, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, National Federation of the Blind Washington and the Salvation Army-Clallam County.
Some time ago in Gardiner, a school bus full of preschool boys from a Catholic school in Tacoma broke down and was stranded overnight. Marty Pearson, secretary at Gardiner Community Church, knew exactly what to do. "I called Helen," she said. "That was the thing to do."
Helen called the Gardiner Grange and arranged for the Gardiner Community Center to be opened up for the 30-odd little boys and their teachers. Neighbors and friends brought blankets and cooked food and Helen opened up her own basement as temporary housing as well. "She knew everybody and was always available to help." Mardy said.
Helen was instrumental in developing Mains Farm in Sequim and Sunshine Acres community in Diamond Point. She moved to Gardiner in 1959 with her husband, Howard. At age 87 she built her last spec home in Sunshine Acres and told her great-niece Kari Beder she finally could retire. "Funny thing is she never really retired, she just moved on to something else," Kari says.
Helen was the 'go-to' person for Gardiner history because she was an integral part of the development of the area. She kept a small heard of cows, which she called her "girls," and named every one of them, treated them as pets the same as her toy poodle, Buttons.
Marty said she will remember Helen for her "kindness, her love and her intelligence. She was a highly intelligent lady and she cared about people." In keeping with her caring, generous spirit, Helen left a portion of her estate to the Gardiner Community Church, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, National Federation of the Blind Washington and the Salvation Army-Clallam County.