Helen Bove

Helen Bove was born on December 22, 1937 in Los Angeles. She grew up in a loving household with her father, Ignacio, and her mother, Ester. She was the youngest of her siblings, Mary, Albert, (Armando, who passed at age 2), Luis (Father Louie), Josie, and Hope. Helen attended St. Gregory’s grade school and graduated from St. Mary’s Academy high school in 1956. Six years later, she married her true love, Frank Bove. They lived in Burbank where they soon welcomed their first child, Barbara, followed by Catherine, Mark, and Paul. Weekday life as a full-time wife and mom was always packed with school and neighborhood activities, cooking and baking, and doting on her children. Weekends were often joyfully spent at their cabin in Crestline with her family, friends, relatives, and of course, her beloved dog, Grabber. Sadly, in 1976, tragedy struck when her husband Frank died suddenly of a heart attack. Buoyed by her devotion to her children and indomitable strength of character, she forged forward juggling the duties of two parents with the supportive and loving help from all her many friends and family members. From attending baseball games to school functions, driving to volleyball practices or grocery stores, making her kids meals to helping them with their homework, and getting each of them through college, Helen did it all and then some. When her children were older, she re-entered the workforce, initially pulling long hours working two jobs. But eventually she was able to enjoy a more relaxed pace of life with just one job, her favorite, as an office manager at Hanson Brass, a small family business in Burbank. She worked there for the last two decades of her life, never retiring, as her work made her feel young, and her family of co-workers made her feel loved.

Grandchildren also became a blissful addition to her life when she welcomed her first, Anthony, followed by Alesandra and Domenic; not to mention her children's significant others who all adored her, Natasha, Michael, (Coach) Paul, and Meredith, along with her step-grandkids, Sydnee, Samantha, Siera, and Sawyer.

She loved going to movies and musicals, concerts and symphonies. With one empty glass of wine and a mystery novel from the Burbank library at her side, she fell asleep every night on her favorite couch watching one of her never-miss TV shows like Game Of Thrones, or catching an Australian Open tennis match live in the middle of the night. And she never missed an opportunity to travel. From multiple trips to Europe and Mexico, jaunts to New York, New Orleans, and even a December 2017 trip to Alabama (for her grandson Anthony’s graduation), she was as healthy and actively enjoying life as anyone at any age could be.

Unfortunately, on New Year’s Eve a couple months ago, she suffered a stroke-like episode that turned out to be newly discovered lung cancer that had spread to her brain. Fortunately, treatments relieved her symptoms which involved another hospital stay. She then had a successful brain surgery which removed all the cancer from her head. Her optimistic doctors were just about to start attacking her lung cancer when she suffered an actual stroke which proved to be lethal. Sadly, she passed on March 4, 2018. Her family takes considerable solace in the fact that for her full 80 years of life, she never had any health problems whatsoever. And even during her final two months, she never once suffered from any physical pain.

Everything about her will be missed: from her selfless devotion to family and friends, to her great personality and beautiful smile. And of course, last but not least, the thousands of delicious, love-filled, Christmas cookies she made and gave out every year. Just like Helen, they were legendary!