Helen Irene Lewis

Helen was raised on a ranch in central Oregon where running water was a hand pump on the back porch and lighting was provided by kerosene lamps. She walked or rode a horse to a one room all grades schoolhouse in Clarno, Oregon until 8th grade. Boarded with an aunt in Seattle to attend high school. Graduated from West Seattle High School class of 1940. In 1941 married Carl Lewis, an engineer with the Idaho Power Company. They had three children, Diana (1944), Laura (1946), and Brian (1950).

In 1957 Carl got a job with Boeing so they moved from Idaho to Seattle. Helen herself started a 30-year career with Boeing in 1958.

When she retired she began traveling and took up genealogy as a lifelong passion. She volunteered twice a week at the Washington State Archives in Bellevue, she assisted with indexing and digitizing old state and county records onto computers and Internet accessibly databases.

She worked there the last week of her life. She is survived by her children and grandchildren, Danny (1984) and Bjorn (1990). She had a good productive long life and was loved by all who knew her.

Arrangements under the direction of Greenwood Funeral Home, Renton, WA.