Helen M. Warner

Helen M. Warner passed away in her sleep on December 3, 2006, at the age of 86. She touched the lives of many people and will be greatly missed. Helen is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Robin W. and Andrew T. Stefan, and her grandson and granddaughter-in-law Todd J. and Aubrey D. Stefan, and her grandson Drew W. Stefan. Her son, Scott R. Warner, and her husband, Harold R. Warner, preceded her in death.

Helen was a Seattle native, raised on Queen Anne hill by her aunt and uncle, Minnie and Robert Wakelin. She graduated from Queen Ann High School and the University of Washington, where she was a member of the Alpha Zi Delta sorority. After working as a teacher and girls? councilor in Port Townsend for two years, Helen Hettrick became Helen Warner when she traveled across the country to marry her tall, blond, blue-eyed Marine Corps Captain, Harold R. Warner. After he returned from WWII, they were stationed on the East Coast where their two children, Robin and Scott, were born. Their last Marine duty station was in Coronado, California which was a perfect town for grade school aged children who loved the regular visits to the ocean beach. When Harold retired from the Marine Corp, the family returned to their roots in Seattle. They purchased a view home on Magnolia, where Helen lived for the next 44 years.

Helen?s life was dedicated to caring for her precious family and making her home a place of fun, love, warmth and support. She enjoyed coordinating family activities such as camping, sailing, picnics, road trips, backpacking and pool parties. Helen was the master of gracious entertaining, serving creative and scrumptious meals on lovely table settings, and making it all look effortless. Hosting twenty-five guests for Thanksgiving dinner was the norm in her home. Bridge was a passion for Helen and it was shared with friends in the Wednesday Afternoon Bridge Club and the Bluffers bridge groups. Dinner and bridge was a regular social event, as were ping pong games and popcorn and apples by the fire.

Helen loved being a grandmother, and her grandsons called her ?Grammy.? She delighted in having them in her home for weekend retreats. She baked for days preceding the visits to insure that they enjoyed homemade pies, rolls and cookies while they played in the back yard pool and did art and woodworking projects with Gramps. Photos of her grandsons were displayed in every room.

Helen was known for her kindness and hospitality. She cared for many aging aunts without a complaint. People who worked in her home and yard were loved as dear friends. The basement bedroom was open to family and friends who needed a place to stay for months at a time. One cousin called her ?the epitome of hospitality.? Another described Helen as ?a constant inspiration and example of a strong and loving marriage.? And indeed, Helen and Harold adored each other and were inseparable for their 52 years of marriage. After Harold passed 10 years ago, ?her one true love? was always in her heart.

At her request, there will be no memorial service. If you would like to share your memories of Helen, please add a tribute at this site. Her family will cherish your stories and memories.