Obituary of Helen M. Rector

Helen Marie (Taylor) Rector May 7, 1935 – April 5, 2009 Born in Elma,WA to Grant Osbourn Taylor and Sarah Marie (Morgan) Taylor.Sister of James Howard Taylor (deceased). Valedictorian of Elma HS Class of 1953. Helen attended the University of Washington where she was interested in sports journalism, and where she met Richard James (Dick) Rector. Helen and Dick were married on November 12, 1955 at the Taylor home in Elma. Dick and Helen lived in Seattle while Dick was completing his degrees.Daughter Lauri Ann was born in Seattle in 1957, and Julie Mae was born in 1962. In 1963, the family moved to Mercer Island, to a house where Helen lived until she moved in 2007. On Mercer Island, Helen was active as a pianist for ballet classes, as a Girl Scout Leader, and with Job’s Daughters. She enjoyed her Christmas baking, especially the aged Vinerterti cakes she made for years using a recipe from an Icelandic neighbor in Elma. Every year she made sauce, jams and pies from the apples and berries growing in her yard. Dick had a fatal heart attack at home in 1972, and the next several years were very difficult, both financially and emotionally. In 1975 she completed an AAS from North Seattle Community College in computer programming and accounting. She worked for an insurance company on Mercer Island, in accounting at Jay Jacobs in Seattle, and with Family Life, a mortgage insurance company associated with Merrill Lynch in Seattle. At Family Life she was promoted to Senior Examiner Coordinator. She worked there until the company re-organized. Helen considered herself retired at 55. She started volunteering with the Mercer Island Community Center, first with grocery shopping assistance, and then with the Senior Day Care. Later she started volunteering for the board at Rotary First Harvest. She generously supported RFH, as well as a number of other charitable organizations, even when she was on a very limited income. By early 2007 her health started declining more rapidly, and she moved out of her longtime home to Panorama City in Lacey, WA. She enjoyed the social network and community there, and last summer volunteered at the annual Patio Sale that benefits the benevolent fund at PC. Helen was very proud of her Irish heritage, and a major highlight of her life was a 1974 trip to Ireland with her father and her girls. She was very devoted to her father, and this trip allowed her to spend some quality time with him before he passed away in 1975. Mom will be remembered for long chats, her knowledge of family history, her love of classical music, and her somewhat offbeat sense of humor. Helen is survived by daughters Lauri Garcia of Kirkland, WA and Julie Rector of Olympia, WA, sons-in-law Carlos Garcia and Ron Barnhart, and grandchildren Rosanne and Charlie Garcia. A celebration of Helen's life will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2009, from 1 – 3 pm at Woodinville Alliance Church 13940 NE 166th St, Woodinville, WA 98072, in the Imagine Café at the North end of the church. If you park in the north parking lot, the Café will be immediately to the left after entering. To leave a condolence for the family click on View Guestbook below: