Helen Bean

Helen Bean, 99 and 9 months, was born in Fair Play, Mo., to Clara and William Harrison Simmons. 

Helen grew up on a farm near a river with her two older sisters, Lois and Martha, and her four younger brothers, Donald, Eddy, Herb and Charles. At a young age, Helen helped care for her four younger brothers. No wonder she was such and excellent mother.

As a young woman, Helen moved to Omak, Wash., and stayed with her sister Martha Climber while she worked as a waitress at a local restaurant. There she met her husband-to-be, Jerome Howard Bean. They were married Dec. 1950. Shortly after their marriage, they moved to Ephrata, Wash., because Jerry was hired as a draftsman for the Bureau of Reclamation. Helen was married to Jerry for 32 years and together they had three children, Martha (April 1952), Rosemary (Sept. 1953) and Donald (Jan. 1957). Martha had two sons Arthur Pingrey and Alex Fischer. Don had a son, Derek Bean, and a daughter Jami Bean. Besides four grandchildren Helen had two great-grandchildren, Izzy Pingrey, Arthur's daughter and Austin Bean, Derek's son.

After Jerry Bean's untimely death from heart disease in 1983, Helen continued to care for her grandchildren Derek and Jami Bean while their parents Don and Josie Bean worked and occasionally Arthur Pingrey when he visited from Chelan, Wash. In addition, Helen hired out as a caregiver for seniors and was much appreciated by those she worked for.

Helen mothered her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Besides being an excellent mother Helen was an accomplished gardener. Gorgeous flowers flourished in the perimeter beds in her yard and a large vegetable garden occupied the back yard, as well as a peach tree, plum tree and three kinds of grapes. Helen was happy to give prolific fruits and vegetables grown in her yard to family and friends.

Because her son, Don Bean, stayed in Ephrata and brought Helen her main meal of the day and her medications daily in her later years, Helen was able to live in her home surrounded by gardens until Jan 2023 when she fell and injured her leg. Helen was 98 when she was admitted to Columbia Basin Hospital. Three months later she moved to the Columbia Basin Nursing Home where she received excellent care until she died of congestive heart failure Jan. 8, 2024, just three months short of her 100th birthday.

Helen was known for her kindness and compassion and will be sorely missed by her family and friends. A celebration of her life is planned on April 6, 2024, at 1 p.m. at the Nat Washington House in Ephrata, Wash.