Helen J. Young

Helen Young (Ciesla) of Pueblo and Denver passed away peacefully on June 24, 2012 at the age of 92. She is survived by her younger sister Irene Lis (Chester), daughters Charlene Culbreath (David); Deborah Young-Bettelli (Pierre), son Marc Young (Tracy) and daughter-in-law Alyce Young; grand-children Heather Drissel(Charlie), Christopher Young, Brandi Whitaker (Jeremiah), Jacob Young, Annette Ballard(Bob), Barbara Lords(Jonathan), Nikki Young, Pamela Meservey (Michael) and Charles Culbreath(Marta); great-grandsons Adrian Ballard, Austin and Cameron Lords, Carson Meservey, Reece Whitaker, and Zachary, Blake and Evan Culbreath plus other family members and friends. She is preceded in death by her husband Harold Young, son Kim Young, daughter Melanie Young and recently her cherished sister, Ann Michna.

Helen was born in Chicago, IL to Polish immigrants and joined the Women’s Army Auxiliary Core during WWII developing aerial photographs for maps. She was so petite that she had to drink a milkshake to make the minimum weight requirement to enlist. Although she was petite in stature, she was a force to be reckoned with and had a sharp sense of humor that kept everyone on their toes even during her last days. During her time in the WAAC, she met her husband Harold Young, a Gunnery Staff Sargent in the 392nd bomb group, and settled in Pueblo, Colorado to raise their five children Charlene, Kim, Deborah, Marc and Melanie. She worked for the US Postal Service in Pueblo for 20 years and was a member of St. Pius X Catholic Church from its beginning until 2004 when she moved to Denver to be closer to family. As a devoted Grandmother, known as Busia or Babci, she helped raise her grandchildren while teaching them Polish slang, sometimes a bit off-color, and how to cook family specialties such as pierogi and potica. Her pierogi were the best outside of Krakow and will almost be missed as much as the cook herself. To those around her, she was a funny, charming little lady.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Porter Hospice at the Johnson Center who befriended her and did an amazing job filling her last months with comfort and laughter.

To her family, she was the Matriarch, deeply respected, sometimes feared but always cherished and loved. She will always be with us, an indelible mark on our hearts and her life as an example of devotion to family, laughter and love.

Services will be held at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary, 6601 S Colorado Blvd., Centennial, CO 80121 on Saturday, July 7, 2012; wake to follow in Centennial, CO. Email [email protected] for details. Online condolences, www.Olingerchapelhills.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Porter Hospice Foundation, 1391 Speer Blvd, Ste 600, Denver, CO 80204 for the benefit of Porter Hospice at the Johnson Center.