Obituary of Helen R Pilcher

HELEN ROSALIA PILCHER Our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend died at age 92 on Saturday, May 16, 2009. On February 4, 1917, Helen Rosalia Schuetz was born in Herndon, Kansas. When she was an infant, her family moved to St. Paul, Oregon, where she was raised on the family farm along with 11 brothers and sisters. Helen graduated from high school in 1934 and, like many young women during the Depression, worked for several years as a housekeeper and babysitter to help support her family. She married JR Pilcher on August 21, 1941. After World War II they lived in Oregon and Kentucky, eventually moving to Puyallup in 1955, where JR built the family home on the outskirts of town. In addition to devoting herself to raising their five daughters and one son, Helen was instrumental in helping JR start and manage a successful general contracting business. Helen drew strength from the Catholic church her entire life. She was a member of All Saints in Puyallup for 40 years and was very active in St. Mary's Circle. She became a member of Holy Disciples 15 years ago when it was formed on South Hill in Puyallup and helped it grow over the years. Helen was also an active member of the Meridian Riding Club and, later in life, enjoyed traveling throughout the world with the Thirty-Niner's Club. We will remember Helen especially for her generous, kind and optimistic nature, her love of card playing with friends and family, her bountiful vegetable and flower gardens, and her delicious home cooking, particularly her award-winning green apple pie. Her life revolved around her family, and in particular her grandchildren and great-grandchildren brought her special joy. Helen was preceded in death by her husband JR (1981), daughter Judy (1994), and infant grandson O'Leary (1979). Her surviving family includes daughters Linda McAlpine (Bill) of Sun City West, Arizona, Mary O'Leary (Joe) of Ellensburg, Eileen Pilcher (Chuck Lund) of Tacoma, and Vicki Eglet (Steve) of Spokane; son John Pilcher (Marni) of Spokane; grandchildren Amy Glasgow (Jason) of West Hartford, Connecticut, Jason Judah (Jessica Dieter) of Seattle, Jennifer Savage (Rory) of Ellensburg, Kaleena, Alyssa, Charlie and Taylor Eglet and Anna and Lauren Pilcher of Spokane; great-grandchildren Cole, Ben and Cooper Glasgow, and baby Savage, due in September; and her sister Caroline Hagen of Miami, Oklahoma. Services will be at All Saints Catholic Church in Puyallup. Vigil will be held on Thursday, May 21, at 6:30 pm, and funeral mass at 10:30 am on Friday, May 22, with reception to follow in the church hall. Donations to All Saints or Holy Disciples Catholic churches, or to Hospice ( www.hospicenet.org ) may be made in lieu of flowers.