Helen Licon, 82, of Anaheim, passed away on February 11, 2021, which was also her 59th wedding anniversary.
She was born in El Modena, California on November 17, 1938. She, at a very young age of 4 years old, lost her mother and infant brother during childbirth. She was the youngest of 3 sisters and her widower father, Erlindo Gutierrez, raised Helen and her sisters on his own. She, as a young girl, was taught 3 simple chords of the piano, and this started her adoration of the piano and she played in her local church. Her family then moved from El Modena to Pomona and then to the Palm Desert area of Indio, California. She graduated from Coachella Valley Union High School, receiving her High School Diploma, and then worked for the City of Palm Springs Recreation Department.
Helen then came upon another hardship in her life and lost her eldest sister, Ramona. Even though her family did not have a lot of money, Helen was classy, neat and a very sophisticated and stylish dresser. She was taught to sew and made all of her own dresses. After helping her father and making sure he was secure, she married the love of her life, her high school sweetheart, Lawrence Licon, on February 11, 1962. Helen wanted to live in Orange County and they bought a home in Anaheim, CA in 1965, where they raised their three children, Steven, Daniel and Sonya. They still live in this home to this day.
Helen worked as a Health Clerk for El Rancho Junior High School with the Orange County School District for 22 years and many kids remember Helen as the sweet, nice and gentle school nurse.
She was a devout Christian who was a dedicated and committed member of her church, Calvary Chapel East Anaheim, and she faithfully attended church services and bible study groups. She had a love for her Lord Jesus Christ, her Savior, and had a passion for reading her bible and memorizing and writing out bible verses to share with her loved ones in cards, notes and letters. She shared her life’s testimony and love for the Lord, and she relished listening to Christian music, Christian radio/talk programs and cherished playing old hymns on the piano. Her most memorable vacation was with her husband, Larry, and her church, to Israel to see the Holy Land in 2008. She supported her church by being a church greeter to the congregation.
She also was a good, loving, caring and supportive wife who helped her husband, Larry, working side by side, with yard work, including watering and pruning trees, riding a lawn mower to mow weeds, and cleaning the inside of the numerous properties she and Larry owned in Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Coachella, Big Bear and Perris, California.
She loved spending time with her family and never turned down an opportunity to babysit or take care of her grandchildren. She loved to cook, and her Mexican food was always a favorite of many. She enjoyed baking her special wheat flour and brown sugar chocolate chip cookies, and always fed family, friends, and all guests who entered her home. She showed her love to you by continuously feeding you and no one left hungry after visiting Helen’s home.
She also dealt with the loss of her grandson Nathan, who had Chromosome 15 Disorder, and he passed away at the age of 12 on August 26, 2012. Another recent devastating, life changing event was the loss of her eldest son, Steven, who was killed in the line of duty working for the California Highway Patrol on April 6, 2019. Even though she suffered with the loss of her precious grandson Nathan and her beloved son Steve, she never lost faith in the Lord and continued to praise his name and believe in the word of God.
Helen liked going out to breakfast and lunch with family and friends and going on walks with girlfriends. Her hobbies were sewing, knitting, quilting and she relished tending to her backyard plants and garden. She had a sweet tooth, with a special place in her heart for chocolate.
Helen will be remembered for her love for the Lord, being a faithful and devoted wife, a loving and Godly Mother, a sweet and cute Grandmother, and she will be greatly missed. She had a way of making everyone around her feel special and she would have fun wherever she went. We will miss her smile and her infectious laugh. God gave her the special gift of laughter that will never be forgotten.
She is survived by her husband, Lawrence, and her children, Daniel and Sonya. She was preceded in death by her oldest son, Steven, and grandson, Nathan. She is survived by daughter-in-law, Ann, daughter-in-law, Shannon, son-in-law, Mike, grandchildren Marissa, Samuel, Abbey, Chase and Kaitlyn, step grandchildren Stephen and Kelley, and sisters Virginia and Marion.
Celebration of Life Service will be held at Calvary Chapel East Anaheim located at 5605 E. La Palma Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92807 at 1:00 pm, Monday, March 15th. Reception immediately following at Church Café.
Burial at Riverside National Veterans Cemetery (Immediate Family Only).
Memorial contributions in honor of Helen may be made to:
-Calvary Chapel East Anaheim.
-CHP Fallen Officer (thecahp.org) or Firefighter (cafirefoundation.org) Memorial Fund.
-Throat or Breast Cancer Research.
To leave an online condolence to the family, please visit website at www.dignitymemorial.com
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