Helen Bertina Hankins

As Helen wrote in her memoir, “This North Dakota farm girl was born in the center of North America in Rugby, North Dakota at the Good Samaritan Hospital on August 29, 1913.” Her parents, Andrew and Martha Grinde, met and married in Rugby after immigrating from Norway. She was very proud of her Norwegian heritage. In 1914 Helen moved to Makoti, North Dakota with her parents and spent her childhood on the family farm, leaving for nurses training in 1932. Growing up on the farm instilled many traits – including her strong sense of family, friends and church and her incredible work ethic. As a farm girl, she noted a couple unusual traits - she didn’t gather the eggs (chickens are “messy”) and she didn’t milk the cows (they quit giving milk when she tried) but she had charge of cleaning the house.

Helen graduated from Makoti High School in 1932 and was accepted into Trinity Hospital School of Nursing in Minot, North Dakota the following fall. From this time on, she became a “city” girl, going to the farm for visits and vacations, but firmly committed to her career in nursing. These were good years, studying, serving patients, dates, dances, movies and making life-long friends. After three hectic years she graduated from nursing school in 1935. Following graduation she worked as a nurse in the hospital while waiting for her classmate Ruby Arneson (Wilke) to finish up her classes. They both planned on going west to take advantages of the RN opportunities in Seattle. Helen left Minot with Ruby in the winter of 1936, traveling by train to start her new adventure. Helen arrived at Providence Hospital, by cab no less, to begin her first Seattle nursing assignment. She and Ruby shared a room at the Embassy Apartments on Boren near all the downtown Seattle hospitals. During these years she worked at Providence and Maynard Hospitals, dated various boys, went dancing, to the movies and even learned to fly an airplane (only when it was air-born, though). In 1938 Helen met a young fellow from Ballard, David L Clark, at the Trianon Ball Room and after the first dance she knew this was someone special. They married on August 25, 1939. Helen and Dave purchased their first home in Wallingford in 1941 and welcomed her only child, David Thomas Clark (“Tommy”), into her life in 1943. Shortly after Tommy’s birth, Dave was diagnosed with MS (later determined to be ALS) and passed away in 1946.

Helen met Harold Hankins (“the laundry man” as he was known at Ballard Hospital where she worked); they married May 6, 1947. In 1951 Helen and Harold purchased Sunset Cleaners in Billings, Montana. She worked part time at St Vincent’s Hospital before changing to full time at the dry cleaning plant. They returned to Seattle in 1961 and Helen resumed nursing at Northgate Hospital, just a few blocks from her new home on NE 100th. In 1965 she met a young lady named Joanne Newsham who became her daughter-in-law in 1966. She was blessed with three grandsons, whom she loved dearly; Eric, Steven and Jason. Helen loved her grandsons dearly and would do as much as possible with them. One of her favorite undertakings was helping each of them construct a shoebox diorama for a school project. Helen lost Harold in 1979. Being alone, she learned to drive and at age 66 got her first drivers license. With her new found freedom she would drive all the way to the shopping center and grocery store (all about a mile away). She later sold the Seattle home and moved to Bothell. Using her driving skills she drove to the grocery store, bus stop and church (still no more than a mile away).

Helen enjoyed traveling, but in the early years mostly short trips or to the farm to see family and friends. As she neared and then reached retirement, she had more time for longer excursions. One was a long anticipated trip to Norway. She flew to Oslo and spent several weeks visiting relatives all around Norway, seeing all the sites including the towns where her parents were born. In 1978 she and Harold took a month long tour of the US in their “combi-van” traveling through 31 states, seeing places such as Gettysburg, Nashville, Niagara Falls and places in between. Other trips included an Alaskan cruise, touring the Canadian Rockies and attending Makoti High School reunion(s).

Helen moved to the Hearthstone across from Green Lake in 1988. In the eight years she was there she moved at least 5 times, one by her request and the rest due to changes made by management. But she was back in her beloved city of Seattle and, as with every other place, she easily made new friends. She participated in many Hearthstone activities including the style show, became active in the Sons of Norway Lodge, went shopping downtown (and won a $500 gift certificate from Nordstrom’s) and entertained many friends and relatives (from Norway, too). In 1997 she moved to the Northhaven, re-connecting with several nursing friends. She was very excited to be with this group – numbering at least eight - they would meet at Northgate with other retired nurses for lunches every month or so. In August of 2003 Joanne and Dave hosted a party honoring her 90th birthday. The following week, though, Joanne passed away and the shock seemed to affect her more than anyone realized. By 2006 she moved to Riverside East in Bothell, a much smaller home with assisted living services. About two years later she fractured both hips and became confined to a wheelchair leading to her final move to Silver Lake Senior Care in Everett. The caregivers became like family to her. Except for an occasional setback, she was contented and comfortable. She passed away in her sleep on Sunday, November 21, 2010, at the age of 97.

She was preceded in death by husbands David L Clark and T Harold Hankins, brother Harold Grinde, sister Una Malm and daughter-in-law Joanne Clark. Helen is survived by her son Dave Clark (Donna), Kirkland; grandsons Eric Clark, Monroe; Steve Clark (Emily), Fort Collins; Jason Clark, Oakland and two great grandchildren (Ellie & Miles).

Remembrances to Alzheimer’s research or Group Health Foundation are suggested.