Helen Tayeko Harano Christ died peacefully in her apartment in Seattle the morning of January 13, 2023. Helen was a Christian, an educator, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a volunteer and a friend.
Helen was born to George and Chieko Katayama Harano on August 26, 1933 in Berkeley, California. She was the third of nine children. In 1942, along with her parents, siblings, and extended family, Helen was forcibly relocated to a Japanese American Internment Camp, Topaz, near Delta, Utah. Her experiences before and during her 3-year internment are in her book, “Legacy”, that came out in 2011 and was illustrated by her sister, Kay. In 2008, Helen was interviewed by the Densho Project, capturing the experiences of Japanese Americans before, during and after their wartime internment.
After internment, the Harano family moved to North Platte, Nebraska, where Helen graduated from high school and then attended Hastings College for her Sociology degree and then on to McCormick Theological Seminary to attain her Master’s degree in Christian Education. It was there that she met Frank Christ, a divinity student. They were married on July, 23, 1959, and then moved to Crosby, North Dakota for Frank’s first parish, as a Presbyterian Minister. Helen and Frank had three children, Mary Kay, Stephen and Alan. Subsequent parishes included those in Oakland, Illinois, Madison, Illinois, Union City, Indiana, Toledo, Iowa, Manilla, Iowa, Sidney, Iowa and finally in Mound City, Missouri before retiring first to St. Joseph, Missouri and then Seattle, Washington.
Helen taught first grade in Madison, Illinois, and substitute taught in Indiana and Iowa. Helen was active in her communities and her church, and was especially involved with Presbyterian Women, on the local and national level, often involving travel to conferences. Both Helen & Frank were exceptional stewards of God’s creation.
Helen is preceded in death by her husband, Frank, and siblings, Robert, Roger and Ronald. She is survived by siblings, Betty Ann (Frank), Kay (Yoichi), Gail (Ed), Randy (Robie) and Paul (Kim), children Mary Kay (Dave) Hilmoe, Steve and Alan (Hisako) and grandchildren Bonnie (Luke) Nord and Patrick (Chelsea).
Helen was loved by family and friends, who grieve her loss. Memorials can be given to Hastings College in Hastings, NE and McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, IL.
Her memorial service will be held at Japanese Presbyterian Church, Seattle, WA at 2pm on March 25.
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