Helen Barnes

Wenatchee, WA

Helen Barnes passed away on December 23, 2011. She was just shy of her 94th birthday. Helen C. Gale was born to Harry and Nellie Gale on December 29, 1917, in Spokane, WA. She grew up in Spokane, then attended Eastern Washington State College, graduating with a degree in Education. On June 15, 1941, she married Jack Barnes, who also received a degree in Education from Eastern. They eventually moved to Wenatchee, where they both taught in the Wenatchee School District. Helen taught at Lewis and Clark Elementary School for many years. After retirement, she continued to be quite active in the Washington State Retired Teachers' Association, both locally and statewide. Helen loved to travel, more recently going to Alaska several times to visit her friend, Rie Munoz, and also enjoyed playing bridge with her friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jack. Over the last decade, she resided in Highgate Assisted Living, then for the last five years, she was at Sunnybrook Adult Family Home.

She is survived by her sister, Cleo Adams of Spokane; a daughter, Jayn (Sherman) Keller of Portland; son, Barry (Gayle) of Wenatchee; grandchildren, Karyn (Jeff) Coleman of Puyallup, Jennifer (Jay) Jones of Portland, Jared (Laura) Barnes of Marysville and Brienne (Brandon) Smits of Wenatchee. She also has four very precious great-grandchildren.

The family will have a Private Service at a later date in Spokane, WA. Memorials may be made to the Gale Scholarship Fund at Eastern Washington University Foundation, 127 Hargreaves Hall, Cheney, WA 99004. Please express your thoughts and memories on the online guest book at jonesjonesbetts.com Arrangements are by Jones & Jones~Betts Funeral Home, Wenatchee.