Many of you will know Helen Batlin Reid as a  strong, professional woman who carried herself with grace, intelligence and sophistication. But to me, she was my dear Auntie Helen. What I will remember most about her are all the many family gatherings we had at her house when i was a child. Her house was  across from St Vincent De Paul in San Francisco and we had many holiday/family celebrations at her house.. She was one of many sisters with 1 brother and we would have 20-30 cousins show up at her house. That's what family is about ! :)  I will always cherish the family holidays and celebrations we had at her house and how loving and warm those times were. Not only was my Auntie Helen a woman of strength, integrity, determination and grit but she also was the aunt who gave our entire family including my grandmother some of the fondest memories of our lives !  Rest in peace, Auntie Helen.

Many of you will know Helen Batlin Reid as a  strong, professional woman who carried herself with grace, intelligence and sophistication. But to me, she was my dear Auntie Helen. What I will remember most about her are all the many family gatherings we had at her house when i was a child. Her house was  across from St Vincent De Paul in San Francisco and we had many holiday/family celebrations at her house.. She was one of many sisters and 1 brother and we would have 20-30 cousins show up at her house. That's what family is about ! :)  I will always cherish the family holidays and celebrations we had at her house and how loving and warm those times were. Not only was my Auntie Helen a woman of strength, integrity, determination and grit but she also was the aunt who gave our entire family including my grandmother some of the fondest memories of our lives !  Rest in peace, Auntie Helen. 

Helen was truly a one of a kind woman who will be deeply missed by so many. She was an amazing great-grandmother, grandmother and mother to us all—her family was her greatest joy, and she made many sacrifices to ensure we were always okay.

Helen defied all odds by becoming a self-made Asian-American businesswoman at a time when women were not encouraged to work. No matter what day of the week is was, you knew you could find her minding her iconic salon, Helen of St Moritz. I will always miss walking down the brick steps at 425 Sutter Street to surprise my grandmother. When I would arrive in front of the massive door and look inside, I would see her head peeking over the front counter and watch her face light up with a huge smile as she realized it was me.

Though her work was an integral part of her life, it was not everything; Helen had a huge heart and was always willing to help people, no matter who you were. To this day, shoeshine men will approach me to say they would not be where they are today if it wasn’t for my grandmother.

Although my grandmother is no longer with us, I will carry her presence with me always. She instilled in me the values of hard work, courage and determination, as well as the importance of family and giving back, which I hope to foster in my own children. Her legacy will always live on through our family and anyone lucky enough to have known the dynamic Helen.

I am so thankful to have known you and will deeply miss you.

Love 

Phil 


Our mother Helen was a remarkable woman.
She was the poster child of Women’s Liberation.
While most women in the sixties were planning the weekly grocery list. Helen was on a flight somewhere in the Orient setting up a factory or securing patents for one of her many inventions.
Of course she still handled the grocery list.

She was one of the most generous individuals I’ve ever known . She provided for many and was a always available if you needed her.
If you met for the first time , you experienced her strength and definitely felt her magic.

Known to her family as Grand MaMa  she was an incredible mother , wife , grandmother , great grand mother aunt and friend to so many people.

She will forever be in our hearts .


Helen Whang Batlin Reid otherwise known as Grandmama to her family.  My grandmama was a powerful force in everyone’s lives that she knew and loved. She was the epitome of elegance, class, and grace. Her immense success came from her unbelievably strong work ethic. She was considered to be one of the most talented Hair Stylists & Cosmeticians  in her day. Helen was always dressed to the nines and emanated beauty that captured everyone she came into contact with. She called herself a farm girl at heart as she was raised on a farm in Oregon. 

She introduced us to the finer things in life as children but was never afraid to often be in the mood for hotdogs, milkshakes, fried chicken or hamburgers. 

Helen loved to be in her home. Everyday, she would admire the beautiful view of the Bay that she had from her 27th floor apartment. To her, the view looked unique and different than the next day which she found magical. San Francisco truly had her heart. The apartment was always flourishing with an array of orchid plants that seemed to be in bloom 365 days a year. 

My grandmama did everything in her power to take care of her family.  
She is the toughest woman I know. A force to not be reckoned with. Beyond all of that power and strength was a woman that gave me the gift of feeling deeply loved, supported and always cared for. Words will never describe how much she will be missed. There will never be another Helen or Grandmama. 

I love you with all my heart, 
Natalie 

At this very moment your Helen  is swapping sea stories with another awe inspiring  lady  ............ Queen Victoria  ........  who has the same style and class

Helen is telling her new friends about the determination and ineluctable energy  of her loving family. The way they kept her well, happy and entertained for many years. 
 This incorrigible Helen fan was on post and had pleasure of witnessing a great deal of this love.  

Helen was not a movie star but all of us loved her.… even celebrities loved her….. ask a certain senator

Up to the moment she checked out, Helen  was a mentor to many fortunate people. Helen shared her energy and wisdom with the world ask a couple of young men who went to USNA..

 ...........  Why   .... because entrepreneurial Helen Reid had something special — something undefinable….… the French would call it jene se qua...... something GOOD, CLEAN and STRONG … representing what is RIGHT about America,  and especially family.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 

After Helen passed, my memory kept reflecting on a moment  long ago.  ….. Like to share  this special story, as it is on target today. 
 At age ten ......experienced the first  death in my family... my grandfather died, ... we were very close  ...  it was devastating .... still remember  the funeral parlor ...... how cold  my grandfather's hands were.  That night, after the cemetery, my grandmother took me to a window in her small Chicago apartment  and said.

Paddy,  look up at the stars .....  Those stars are really holes in the sky,  where people that we have lost are looking out for us ..... …… and watching over us.
One of those stars .....  one of  the brighter ones is your grandfather and he's looking out for you and me.
Patrick remember that   ....   …never...   disappoint him  

Don,  Helen is up there in the Golden Gate sky she is the brightest star.     ••••  This lovely lady i

OBITUARY

Helen Whang Batlin Reid

13 February, 1925 – 17 August, 2018

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