Helen C. Chen

Helen C. Chen, 99, passed away peacefully in her sleep, on Saturday, November 18, 2023, at her home in Santa Clara, California, after a long battle with heart disease. She was born in Honolulu in the Hawaiian Territories in 1924 to Kau and Wai Kin Lee Chang, as the third daughter of a family of seven children.

Helen was a loving mom and grandmother, good cook, energetic investor, ballroom dancer, and international traveler, as well as a lover of eating shrimp and playing mahjong. She was very observant about life and people and had a wry sense of humor.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband C.T. Chen; her siblings Jenny, Lucy, Ray, Bill, and James; and her daughter Joan.

Helen is survived by her sister Karen, and Helen’s children (Velma, Louise and Jim), grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, as well as nephews and nieces.

A private memorial service is being held. The family deeply appreciates your warm words of condolences and gifts. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Chinese Hospital in San Francisco for the early detection of lung cancer. Donate at https://bit.ly/LCSICCHP

Donations will be matched dollar for dollar.

Condolences may be left on Helen’s online guest book at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/11545422.