Helen W. Beaver

March 03, 1913 - July 10, 2010

Helen W. Beaver Obituary Died peacefully on Saturday, July 10, 2010 in Spokane, WA. She was born March 3, 1913 to George and Minnie Knight in Hubbard, OR. She graduated from Hubbard High School in 1930 and from Willamette University in 1936, Valedictorian, majoring in French. Her long distinguished teaching career began in Bethel, Or (1936-1938), Sheridan, OR (1938-1941), and Hubbard, OR (1941-1946), where she taught general subjects, as well as coaching football, basketball and baseball. She was Hubbard Superintendant from 1944-1946. In 1944, she married James H. Beaver of Missoula, MT, and moved to Seattle, WA where she lived until moving to Spokane, WA in 2005. She taught English and Special Education in the Edmonds School District (1956-1976), completing her Masters of Education, Remedial Reading, from University of Washington (1966). She received the Freedom Foundation National Award (1965), became a member of the honorary women?s teacher organization Alpha Delta Kappa (1970), and was an Edmonds School District Living Legend Teacher (1986). She enjoyed music and drama immensely, and was a long time patron of the Seattle Opera and the many local drama theatres. In her retirement, her fascination with travel began by leading a People to People tour to Europe for 4H students. She especially loved her family, her friends, her knitting and her cats. Preceding her in death were her husband James H. Beaver, her sister Anne E. Stauffer, and brother Charles W. Knight. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Elizabeth and James Ashleman of Spokane, WA; her nieces JoAnne Stauffer of Hubbard, OR, Karen Mitchell of Tigard, OR; her nephews Charles Stauffer of Hubbard, OR, and Ron Knight of Portland, OR. A memorial service will be held Friday, August 6, 2010, 11AM at University United Methodist Temple, 1415 NE 43rd St, Seattle, WA 99105; church reception following service. Inurnment will be at Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, OR. Memorial gifts may be made to World Vision Inc., PO Box 9716, Dept W, Federal Way, WA 98063-9716 (www.worldvision.org 1-888-511-6548). Her family wishes to thank Rockwood Retirement Communities for the wonderful care her last years.