Helene Willis

The world lost a beautiful soul when Naomi Helene Willis (née Brammell) passed away peacefully on June 13, 2024, in the Boulder Community Health facility surrounded by members of her loving family. Naomi Helene Brammell, born May 16, 1933, in Storrs, Connecticut, was the daughter of Naomi Helene and Paris Roy Brammell and older sister to Homer (“Hank”) L. Brammell. Helene was always the name she used throughout her life to distinguish herself from her mother, also named Naomi. Helene grew up in the nearby town of Willimantic, CT and graduated from Windham High School in 1951. She then attended Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona studying to become an elementary school teacher. While in Arizona, Helene competed in The Miss Coconino County Scholarship Program, a preliminary pageant to the Miss Arizona Pageant and the Miss America Organization. She did not compete for the Miss Arizona title due to her marriage engagement. She married James Stanley Arlington in Okmulgee, Oklahoma in December 1952. That marriage produced two children, James (Jim) Duncan Arlington, and Stanley (Stan) Brammell Arlington. After stints in Gilroy, CA and Odessa, TX the family moved to Oklahoma City, OK, where Helene received her Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Central Oklahoma.

In 1962 the family moved to Boulder, Colorado where Helene began a stellar teaching career with the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) as a first-grade teacher at Mapleton Elementary School. She later moved to other classroom grades at Mapleton and eventually taught with Jane Daniels as a team teacher for the 5th and 6th grades. Helene was presented the “Outstanding Young Educator Award” by the Boulder Jaycees in 1966 and received the Third Award from the Colorado Jaycees as “Outstanding Young Educator” for the 1966-1967 school year. The family moved to Stillwater, OK in the summer of 1967 where Helene received her Master’s degree in Literacy Education (Developmental and Clinical) from Oklahoma State University (OSU) graduating magna cum laude. In July 1968 Helene was elected to the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Chapter at OSU. After Helene received her MS degree the family moved back to Boulder, CO in 1968 where Helene resumed her teaching career at Mapleton Elementary School. In 1974 Helene moved from Mapleton to the BVSD Administration Building to facilitate the Reading Professional Development curriculum for BVSD K-12 teachers.

Following her divorce in 1972, Helene married Roe Willis, another lifelong learner, in September 1974 and added three stepchildren to her family: Ted, Melinda (Mindy), and Pam. They all lived together in Roe’s house at 3000 4th Street in Boulder, CO with Helene’s cat, “Jody” and Roe’s cat, “Blue”. Helene lived with Roe at this address, always with a pet cat or two in the house (and sometimes a dog), until her passing. It was at this house that Helene pursued her love of gardening and horticulture. Their home was filled with love, family, flowers, potted plants, and adored and spoiled cats. Each summer brought another yard improvement project and additions to the flower gardens.

Helene was awarded the Outstanding Educational Leader Award from the Colorado Language Arts Society in 1988, the Daily Camera Pacesetter Award in Education in 1990, and recognition from the Colorado State Board of Education for “Valuable Service” to The State Certified Personnel Performance Evaluation Council in 1990. She retired from the BVSD in 1990 but continued to work as a literacy Educational Consultant for eight years at Coal Creek Elementary. During that time Helene was recognized in May 1994 by Toastmasters International, District 26, with their Communication and Leadership Award “For outstanding service through Communication and Leadership”. Her reputation in the field led to her developing a Masters in Teaching & Learning Program at Regis University that thrived from 1990-1994 under her leadership instructing teachers how to be more effective teaching reading in the classroom.

Beloved friend and fellow educator Ellen Goering said, “Helene was a pioneer in the field of literacy learning for young children. She was a teacher of teachers, of paraeducators, of parents, of volunteers, and of children. The warmth she radiated was felt and internalized by the students she mentored as writers and adventuresome readers. She could sit with a child for moments and know exactly what to nourish next in his/her learning journey. As a dedicated Reading Specialist for Boulder Valley School District, as head of the Masters in Literacy Program at Regis University, or as Literacy Leader at Coal Creek Elementary, Helene inspired learning. She never settled for less when a little more encouragement and prodding got better results for learners. While people expanded their own capabilities, they also marveled at what they had within, thriving alongside her wisdom…her spark for seeing and bringing out the unusual. She planted her seeds with her flare for drama, never to be exploited or taken advantage of…just always genuinely Helene.” The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International recognized this in Helene too. For over 20 years Helene was a member of this organization that honors women who have given or who evidence a potential for distinctive service in any field of education.

Helene’s passion for learning inspired her interest in family history and the history of her new hometown, Boulder, CO. Helene was a past board member of Historic Boulder, Inc., the Hannah Barker House Committee and Chair of the Hannah Barker Book Subcommittee. Helene had the ingenious idea for a book project for Historic Boulder, Inc. which engaged young writers from the BVSD Wittier School to research and write about Boulder’s “Unsinkable Molly Brown”, Hannah Connel Barker. Helene shared much with Hannah; both were teachers, and both were active members of the First Congregational Church on Pine Street in Boulder.

Helene loved shopping and was known for her stylish clothes. Helene’s passions for teaching and learning were only surpassed by her love and passion for her family for whom she also loved to shop for birthday and Christmas presents, usually browsing through her laptop computer most nights. She had already purchased Christmas presents this year for several of her grandchildren and had them set aside at the house with their names on the packages.

Helene is survived by her loving husband Roe E. Willis, her brother Dr. Hank Brammell (Carole) of Denver, CO, her son Jim Arlington (Kim) of Eagle River, AK, daughter-in-law Robin L. Arlington (Stan) of Louisville, CO, stepson Ted Willis of Longmont, CO, stepdaughter Mindy Willis (David Schroyer) of Anchorage, AK; eight grandchildren: Rachel Arlington and Major David Arlington of Eagle River, AK, Rianne Arlington of Broomfield, CO, Ben Arlington (Mandy) of Lafayette, CO, Adam Arlington (Edward) of Gilbert, AZ, Brian Schroyer and Jamie Schroyer of Anchorage, AK, and Matthew Hartman of Glenwood Springs, CO; six great-grandchildren: Luca Rasic, Cora Rasic and Iola Rasic of Eagle River, AK, Anniston Woog and Caden Woog of Broomfield, CO, and Kenley Arlington of Lafayette, CO; and several nieces, nephews, great and great-great nephews and nieces, cousins and dear friends. She was preceded in death by stepdaughter Pam Regan (November 16, 2015) and son Stan Arlington (April 9, 2017).

A viewing will be held on Thursday, June 27th from 4:00pm to 7:00pm at Ahlberg Funeral Chapel, 326 Terry St, Longmont, CO. A later memorial service will be held July 1st beginning at 2:30pm at the First Congregational Church, 1128 Pine St., Boulder, CO. Messages of condolences to the family can be made by signing the online Guestbook at: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/longmont-co/helene-willis-11861784