Helen R. Ress

On April 16, 1935, in the Panama Canal Zone on the Balboa side in Balboa Hospital, a baby girl was born to Louis and Irene Hasemann. Helen was very proud to have the distinct privilege of being a part of a unique group of people born and raised in the Canal Zone.

Three more children joined the Hasemann family: Gayle, Louis Jr. and baby Reenie. The Hasemann family belonged to the Union Church which had a very active young adults group involving locals and the nearby military personnel. Here Helen met the love of her life, Joe Ress. Joe and Helen married on September 10, 1955. As a Navy Man Joe was soon transferred from the Canal Zone to the States and oh what a transition, from the tropics to the mountains of Colorado and on to Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, finally settling in San Diego. Along the way six children were born: Laurene (deceased), Ruth, Teresa, Jolene, Arnold and Eric.

Helen was a stay at home mother who volunteered at her children’s school and her church. By the time her youngest, Eric, was in elementary school, Helen began working in the school office. She worked in the elementary school office for 20 years retiring in 1996.

Shopping with Helen met to frequently hear “Mrs. Ress, Mrs. Ress, remember me?’ Now grown, students couldn’t resist sharing their appreciation for the time she spent with them. She had a way of making a child feel special.

Joe introduced Helen to the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, known today as the Community of Christ. Here Helen was baptized and raised her family. Helen’s ministry through Women’s Program as Leader and playing piano for the Chula Vista congregation touched many lives.

In her later years she was not able to get out as much, but still expressed her love of people through prayers, notes, welcoming spirit.

Helen was preceded in death by her daughter, Laurene and her husband, the love of her life, Joe. It was Monday, January 6 that Helen joined her Heavenly Father and her husband, Joe, in her final resting place. She will be greatly missed by her family of 5 children, 15 grandchildren and 17 great-grand children.