HELEN JOSEPHINE IRWIN of Vulcan passed away peacefully on January 30, 2004 at Vulcan Community Health Centre after a lengthy illness at the age of 88 years.
Helen was born in Vulcan on November 4, 1915. She grew up on the family farm northwest of Vulcan and attended Derry School. She was an honor student and was very good at sports. After finishing school Helen worked at several housekeeping jobs in the Ensign area, working for the Williams family and Mrs. Dobbs. She left the farm to attend Three Hills Bible School where she studied Theology. This was followed by a short stay in Yellowknife.
When Helen returned from the north country, she settled in Edmonton, working as a cashier for Safeway for many years. During the war she worked at a Sash & Door factory in Edmonton. In 1953, Helen moved to Ensign where her brothers Fred and Russell opened the Ensign Store & Garage and asked her to come and run the store for them.
Helen married Dick Irwin of Brant in 1954 and moved to her house on the corner west of Vulcan. She quit working at the store in 1955 and settled down to her life on the farm. She raised chickens and sold, eggs and fresh cream throughout the countryside. She always grew a large vegetable garden and was a wonderful cook and an excellent housekeeper.
Chris came to live with Dick and Helen in 1957 and was adopted by them in 1960. In 1980 Dora Leoni-McLean asked Helen if she would work for her in the Vulcan Village Gas Bar as a cashier. Helen enjoyed her time working and meeting the public until 1986.
In 1999 Helen moved into one of the seniors apartments at the Peter Dawson Lodge. She met many new friends and was happy in her new home. In June 2001 she suffered a stroke and moved to Long Term Care at the Vulcan Community Health Centre where she resided until her passing.
Helen is survived by her son Chris (Arlene) of Vulcan, two brothers Howard (Marj) Markert of Vulcan and Norman (Mickey) Markert of Calgary; two sisters Mabel (Russell) Main of Spokane, Washington and Alta Smith of Calgary, one sister-in-law Jane Markert of Duncan, BC and numerous nieces and nephews and their children.
Helen was predeceased by her husband Dick in 1978, her father Fred and mother Addie Marie, four brothers Russell, Fred (Marg), Robert (Marie) and Albert (Dale), a brother-in-law Don Smith and a sister-in-law Faye Markert.
Memorial service will be held Thursday February 5, 2004 at 1:30 P.M. at the Vulcan Royal Canadian Legion Hall with Rev. Doug Barrie officiating.
In lieu of flowers, tributes in Helen’s memory could be made to the Long Term Care Unit of the Vulcan Community Health Centre Box 299, Vulcan T0L 2B0.
Arrangements in care of Vulcan Funeral Home. Directors. Telephone 1-403-485-2633. E-mail condolences to vulcanfuneralhome@hotmail.com.