Helene Christine Cameron

Helene Christine (Gulbrandson) Cameron, 97, passed away peacefully with her family at her side on March 30, 2012. She was born in Adams, ND, on Oct. 4, 1914, the sixth out of seven children to Norwegian immigrants Herman and Anna Gulbrandson.

In 1918 the family moved to Everett, arriving on Halloween night. Helene attended Everett schools and, while living on Rucker Hill, walked to school at North Junior High. In high school she developed her love of sports. At 5’ 1” she played on the girls’ basketball team and then county league basketball. Helene graduated from Everett High in 1933 and attended one quarter at the University of Washington.

While working in an Everett waterfront cannery she met a coworker, James Alexander (Alex) Cameron, and on March 19, 1938 they were married. Alex also enjoyed sports, and he and Helene were great supporters of local high school and junior college teams as well as merchant softball teams.

Growing up, Helene assisted her family by being the main babysitter for her nieces and nephews and later helped her widowed mother. While raising her own children Helene worked with her sister Lorna at the Sassy Shop, and while in her 90s Helene helped her daughter at the Treasure House. When her children were young, Helene took an active role as a leader in Cub and Boy Scouts and Camp Fire Girls.

While Alex was a busy member of the South Everett Lions for 35 years, Helene was an active member of the South Everett Lady Lions. Later, she and her daughter both joined the South Everett Lions. Helene enjoyed the out of doors (the “shack” on the Skagit River), sports (the only reason to have a TV), needlework and puzzles, and she was an insatiable reader (which she instilled in her children). We especially treasure her belief in the equality of people regardless of class, race, or gender, and her quirky sense of humor, which she kept to the very end.

Helene was preceded in death by her parents, her loving husband of almost 60 years, Alex, and her siblings Hjordis Dennie, Sylvia Sweum, Fred (Tip) Gulbrandson, Ruth Holm, and Ronald Gulbrandson. She is survived by her older sister Lorna Kreiger, son David Cameron (Louise Lindgren), daughter Rosemary Stallings, grandchildren Laura Cameron Behee (Roland), Pete Cameron (Charlene), and Elizabeth O’Connell, and great grand children Eleanor Behee, Margaret Behee, and Alexander O’Connell.

Our thanks to doctors John Goodman, John Sekijima, and Todd Gunderson; Providence Hospice & Home Care; and the staff of Bauer’s Funeral Chapel for their assistance in Helene’s final months. At her request, there will be no service. Memorials may be sent the South Everett Lions, PO box 2425, Everett, WA 98201.