Helen Bernice Humphrey, a kind and gentle soul, passed away on June 25, 2016 at the age of 94. She was born on the Morning Star Farm in Kindred, North Dakota, the fourth of seven children of Oleander and Mathilde Braaten. Despite the sudden early loss of their beloved mother, the family found strength in one another and were always close. After completing Interstate Business School, Helen began her career in Fargo where she met Kent Burton Humphrey. With the handsome couple’s first date of dinner and dancing, Ken began to see Helen not only as beautiful and kind but a woman of strong character—someone to make a life with. They married on June 30, 1944 in Kindred. Immediately, Ken had to leave for San Diego where he shipped off to the uncertainty of war in the Pacific. Helen boarded a train for Los Angeles where she found a job quickly. She wanted to be as close to him as possible until he returned. She wrote to him every day. It was a beginning example of her devotion to him and what would later be her devotion to her children. After the war, they lived at the Great Lakes Naval Base in Illinois and then in Virginia Beach before settling in Portland. Helen was always a dedicated homemaker and also later became a quiet but important part of her husband’s businesses. Playing the piano and the harp brought her pleasure. Her deep faith brought her comfort. Her ready kindness brought out a bit more kindness in those around her. That is part of her legacy. She was preceded in death by her husband of almost 65 years in 2009 and her grandson Bomont (Angela) Humphrey in 2013. She is survived by her daughter Janet (Richard) Harbert of Portland, son David (Kulani Mahikoa) Humphrey of Reno, and daughter Susan Humphrey of Tualatin; grandchildren Bleu (Ted Hillison) Blakslee of West Linn, Ben (Alison Brody) Harbert of Washington, D.C., and Paige (Ryan) Harbert Brown of New York City; and great grandchildren Aliyah Humphrey, Bryson Humphrey, Tanner Hillison, Tyler Hillison, Elias Harbert and Beatrice Harbert. Mathilde Braaten. Despite the sudden early loss of their beloved mother, the family found strength in one another and were always close. After completing Interstate Business School, Helen began her career in Fargo where she met Kent Burton Humphrey. With the handsome couple’s first date of dinner and dancing, Ken began to see Helen not only as beautiful and kind but a woman of strong character—someone to make a life with. They married on June 30, 1944 in Kindred. Immediately, Ken had to leave for San Diego where he shipped off to the uncertainty of war in the Pacific. Helen boarded a train for Los Angeles where she found a job quickly. She wanted to be as close to him as possible until he returned. She wrote to him every day. It was a beginning example of her devotion to him and what would later be her devotion to her children. After the war, they lived at the Great Lakes Naval Base in Illinois and then in Virginia Beach before settling in Portland. Helen was always a dedicated homemaker and also later became a quiet but important part of her husband’s businesses. Playing the piano and the harp brought her pleasure. Her deep faith brought her comfort. Her ready kindness brought out a bit more kindness in those around her. That is part of her legacy. She was preceded in death by her husband of almost 65 years in 2009 and her grandson Bomont (Angela) Humphrey in 2013. She is survived by her daughter Janet (Richard) Harbert of Portland, son David (Kulani Mahikoa) Humphrey of Reno, and daughter Susan Humphrey of Tualatin; grandchildren Bleu (Ted Hillison) Blakslee of West Linn, Ben (Alison Brody) Harbert of Washington, D.C., and Paige (Ryan) Harbert Brown of New York City; and great grandchildren Aliyah Humphrey, Bryson Humphrey, Tanner Hillison, Tyler Hillison, Elias Harbert and Beatrice Harbert. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, July 14 at 2 p.m. at Valley Community Presbyterian Church at 8060 SW Brentwood Street in Portland. Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America www.alzfdn.org.
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