Helene Louise Jackson, born Helene Longest, 87, died Friday, October 23, 2015 at Strafford Care Center.

She was born on June 15th, 1928, in English, Indiana, to Fred and Fern Longest. She was raised with her four younger siblings in southern Indiana. Helene had three children, Shelley, Scott and Shawna. Over the years, her husband Bill’s job with the U. S. Forest Service took them to Montana, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Washington, where Bill passed away in 1979. Helene was one of those people who could do anything she tried. She was a great cook, dancer, seamstress, knitter, crocheter, bowler, crafter, and quilter. She loved to read biographies. She once painted a big, beautiful rooster on her kitchen wall-just because. She played pinocle and scrabble with friends for years and also did crossword puzzles avidly. She could grow almost anything, and car trips were regularly interrupted with cries of “Stop the car-I want some seeds (or a start) from that plant!” She hunted deer and elk while living in Montana, and lived on a ranch in Idaho. Her favorite singers were Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan, but her tastes were wide. She also liked Segovia’s classical guitar, Mariachi bands, and the Beatles. She was very generous, spontaneously giving to those in need. “Mom, where’s your patio furniture?” “Oh, the young mother down the street needed it, so I gave it to her.” She had many dogs and cats as pets through the years. Those who knew her always mention her as fun-loving, saying she always put a smile on their faces.

Helene was preceded in death by her husband, Bill, and her brother Alvin. She is survived by daughter Shelley and son-in-law Rick, of Richland, Washington, son Scott and daughter-in-law Faith, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and daughter Shawna and son-in-law Jack, of Fairgrove, MO. as well as grandchildren Sarah, and her husband Levi, of Cuyahoga Falls, Emily, of Fort Wayne, IN, Meredith, of Mesa, AZ and Dylan, of AZ, as well as great-grandchildren Samantha and Levi Jr., as well as her sisters Olivia of Fountain, CO, Jean, of Yakima, WA and brother Joe, as well as six nieces and nephews.

The family is deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, and support in many heart-felt forms from too many people to name individually, but including: the staff of Strafford Care Center, family and friends, neighbors, and even random acts of kindness from total strangers. Helene’s ashes will be spread by her family at a future date on the Washington state mountainside where her husband Bill’s ashes were spread. Cremation is under the care of Herman H. Lohmeyer Funeral Home.
Permanent online condolences, photos and stories may be shared at www.hhlohmeyer.com.