Helen G. DeLaune
(nee Mathias)

 

July 26, 1926 - February 12, 2013


The Celebration of Helen's life will be held in Seattle on the afternoon of August 18 from 1pm to 4pm.  The location will be Anthony's Homeport Restaurant, Shilshole Bay (6135 Seaview Ave. NW, Seattle, WA).  Champagne and light appetizers will be served.  There will be a no-host bar.  If you plan to attend, please email Helen's daughter Susan at Helen's Wake by May 1st to RSVP.
Helen Gertrude Mathias was born to William Nicholas Mathias and Laura Ellen Mathias in Tacoma, Washington, where she grew up with her two older siblings William (Bill) Mathias and Bernadette (Bernie) Mathias.  She attended Holy Rosary Elementary School and then graduated from St. Leo's High School.

Helen loved to roller skate in her youth, and spend many Friday and Saturday evenings at the rink "dancing" on skates.

   
Helen, Grandma, & Bernie                                                                       Helen and boyfriend



Susan, Helen, & Mike		 Early on, Helen worked for the Army as a secretary, as telephone operator and in the restaurant at the Winthrop Hotel in Tacoma, and as a waitress at various other restaurants.

She married Gardner Kernan (Bill) DeLaune at Saint Rose of Lima church in Houston, Texas on April 10, 1948.    Together they had four children:  Michael Gene DeLaune, Susan Marie DeLaune, Cary Ellen DeLaune, and Valerie Anne DeLaune. 

The family loved to camp and boat. 

Bill and Helen divorced in Pierce County, Washington on November 13, 1962.

 
Helen & Mike

Helen is third from the left

 Helen sometimes worked multiple jobs to support her four children and her mother, Laura.  She managed to work her way up through the government ranks, at a time when it was still relatively rare for women to work, particularly as the sole bread-winner.  She was a role model for many women and mentored some through her work.

Helen used to love to tell people that she "walked the streets and then went to prison," referring to her days as one of Tacoma's first Meter Maids, and then her job as a correctional officer in a Federal Women's prison in Long Beach, California. Even as a correctional officer, some of the prisoners called her "Mom" and continued to correspond with her when she changed careers.



Helen's Retirement Party		 After 8 years of working at the prison, Helen was hired as a Revenue Officer by the IRS, where she rose through the ranks to become an Advisor on technical issues for all of the officers in her Northwest Region.

She received three Special Achievement awards from the IRS, in addition to at least one letter of appreciation from an organization she helped through financial and tax difficulties.  Helen tried to help "taxpayers" with their difficulties, aiming for a "win-win" solution.

  

After retirement, Helen continued her public service for several years by volunteering her time helping people fill out income tax forms, and later assisting the Pierce County Washington Sheriff's Department. During that time, she received many Letters of Appreciation for her work there.


Canoeing on Lake Louise, Canada  1977


Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone		 Helen loved to camp, hike and backpack, and instilled a love of the outdoors in her four children.  A typical family vacation was a car camping trip and hiking in Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and Death Valley National Parks.

Later in life, Helen particularly enjoyed attending Elder Hostels (now called Road Scholar), traveling all over the world.  She racked up 48 trips, mostly traveling by herself, but also sometimes with her sister or children.

 
Australia

 
Melborne, Great Ocean Road                                        Stonehenge

 
Yucatan Peninsula                                                          Dunn Falls, Jamaica

Helen loved to play Bingo, often winning money, which she many times generously shared with her children.  She was known to be able to play several bingo cards at once.  She was also an avid card-player, frequently trouncing her children and grandchildren.

Helen also loved to read.  She kept track of all the books she read and rated them for quality in a notebook.

Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau


On cruise ship in 1982 with friend Pat
 Helen liked to visit Alaska on Elder Hostels, on cruise ships, and planes to visit her daughter Valerie. 

She also visited her brother Bill and his wife Jean in the 1940's in Fairbanks.  She remembers flying into Annette Island in Southeast Alaska in a Grumman Goose before there were landing strips for wheeled jets.

 
Flightseeing trip on the Juneau Icefield    1994              Helen & Bernie, Ketchikan Alaska


Helen was living in Dallas, Oregon at the time of her death at the age of 86, where she died of natural causes.  She was surrounded by her family and friends during her last days.  She passed during her sleep, which is what she had always wanted.

She is remembered by her loved ones as being strong, active, scrupulously fair, generous, and loving.

Helen was preceded in death by her two siblings.  She is survived by all four of her children, plus grandchildren Dan Martin, John Martin, Eli Glad, and Liam Glad, and great-grandchildren Owen Martin and Olivia Martin.
 

Helen with friend and IRS co-worker Charisse.  Helen mentored Charisse, and they stayed in contact for the remainder of Helen's life.
Quotes from friends, family, and co-workers:

She is one of the strong female models that I had the good fortune to know in my life. She was independent, determined, capable, and showed how a woman could stand on her own two feet--a lesson I very much needed examples of!
                                                               - Linda Carroll

I am so sorry to hear of Helen’s passing, as she was one of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure to work with.
                                                                 - Jim Mason

To me she was so much more than my father' sister. She was more like  a loving mentor though she would never have thought of it in the same manner. I have admired her ever since I understood what admiration is. It began as a kernel when we were children and I would stay with your family. It grew when I I continued to see her as I got into adulthood. She moved her and your lives forward with her resourcefulness and determined love. She did what she needed to do. She was challenged as a young mother with an absent spouse but brought all of you to adulthood  to be loving, caring, and capable people. I have basked in the warmth of her love and respect also.  She is responsible for making me a better human being by just being herself. This  is success in life by any measure. Her love will be in my heart forever as I know it is in yours also.
                                                                   -Chris Mathias (nephew)
 
Brother Bill & Helen                                                     Helen, Jean, Bernie

Telling a story about Uncle Bill		  
In Alaska with her siblings                                              Beating her children at miniature golf
 
Daniel, Mike, Susan Ruth, Helen                               Cary, Valerie, Dan, Helen, circa 1980
John, Cary

Helen, Bill, Bernie, Jean 		    

Visit with University Place friends