Helen Rose Peppard Finnegan

Beloved mom and grandma, Helen Peppard Finnegan died peacefully at her Lacey home of 67 years on January 9, 2014. Mom was born in Olympia to John and Bethel Peppard on September 30, 1925. As a young child, both her parents died of TB. At that time, mom went to live with and was raised by her maternal aunt and uncle, Al and Josephine Plantenberg. Mom attended Old Lacey Elementary School and St. Michaels Catholic School. She graduated from Olympia High School in 1943 and worked at Rexall Drugs downtown before going to work as a bookkeeper at Capitol City Forging Works where she met her future husband, Pete Finnegan. Mom and Dad were married on November 3, 1945 when dad returned from WWII. Mom then worked as a bookkeeper for A.G. Homann Construction (her new brother-in-law) until “retiring” in 1957 to be a homemaker. Mom was very proud of her Olympia/Lacey roots and was considered a local pioneer, the go-to person to ask about local history and trivia. A devout Catholic, she attended Sacred Heart Catholic Church for 67 years. She and dad were heavily involved in the formation of the Lacey Fire Department and Lacey Water District #3. Mom happily volunteered in many ways: as a room mother at Lacey Elementary School; a polling place election worker; served as vice president of Olympia Junior Programs; delivered Meals on Wheels; and worked at the Attic Shop at St. Martin’s University for decades. Mom liked crafting, mowing her lawn (and the neighbor’s) on the riding lawnmower and in later years enjoyed oil painting. She enjoyed reading the newspaper, feeding the birds and keeping a watchful eye on her neighborhood. She will be missed by her friend since first grade, Catherine Ely Horne, her numerous nieces, nephews and cousins, two sisters-in-law and her wonderful neighbors. Helen is survived by her son, Tim Finnegan and daughter-in-law, Janet, of Lacey and daughter Patty Finnegan Kinney of Olympia. Grandma loved her six grandson’s Jason, Kyle, Drew, Kellan, Tanner and Tate very much. She was preceded in death by her husband Pete Finnegan in 1990, her parents John and Bethel Peppard, and her brothers George and Chuck Peppard. A funeral mass will take place on Friday, January 24 at 9:00 am, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Bowker Street in Lacey. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Thurston County Humane Society Animal Shelter.