Helen Elliott

January 28, 1931 – May 24, 2015

We are here to celebrate and honor a beautiful woman that we all know by different names, Helen, Mom, Mother, Sister, Auntie, Gran, Granny, Great Granny and friend. She had many babies but her dog Buster was her favourite.

Helen lived a full life. She enjoyed second handing, garage sales, bingo, listening to Lahal bone game songs, and country music such as Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, and Johnny Horton to name a few. She loved hockey, had a warm smile, a generous heart and gave what she had to help others. Elvis, Mickey Mouse, and Betty Boop were her heroes – everywhere you look in her house there was one of them. She was a cool hip Elder who liked to stay connected to family even if it meant posting news on her Facebook page!

One of her long skills and passions was sharing her culture through Cowichan Knitting which was taught to her by her mother. While hearing the clicking sounds of her knitting needles she could eye your size better than you knew yourself. Helen had clients through Canada, the US, and China. Her outgoing personality and open curiosity enabled her to make lots of sales. As an Elder put it she didn’t select friends she made friends.

She fluently spoke Hul’qumi’num and enjoyed conversation at the Elders lunches and Elders Conference. She will be missed by all her friends at the Elders building. She enjoyed meeting with her brothers and catching up on pointly matters.

She always enjoyed travelling. For over 30 years Mawbey, and the boys who enjoyed hunting and camping, would brave the rugged out back of BC. She was the best fire maker. When she started a fire she could use up a whole cord of wood in one day! This annual trip was more than hunting and camping for Granny it was a reconnection to nature, family and herself.

Now, there are some things you may not know! Like when you were in trouble, she would combine your name with someone else’s name. For example, Cliff and Herb became “Clerb!” – that’s when you knew you were in deep trouble!

Also, when Helen was around 50 years old she decided to get her driver’s license and when she applied for her birth certificate she discovered that she was celebrating the wrong birthdate all along. All her life she celebrated her birthday on December 28th when the actual date was supposed to be January 28th. To solve that problem she simply celebrated both dates and got two birthdays’s every year!! Wise woman!!

Something else you may not know is she was notorious back street driver which came in very handy for reaching the best garage sales! Unfortunately, the art of being a back seat driver has now afflicted all her kids. And just for the record, “Auntie Caroline - I know how to work a four way stop!!??”

The last little known fact is Helen, the Tupperware Queen herself, got to meet the Queen of England at the 1994 Common Wealth Games and give her a rose.

Granny lived in Port Alberni for 18 years and the love of her family and connection to the Cowichan Valley pulled her home. I was always fascinated that she perfected her relationship with Mawbey by living in separate trailers back to back which was close enough to stay connected and yet far enough away. Something we could all learn from. See I’m telling you very wise!!

In her growing up years, she attended the St. Catherine School in Duncan, went berry picking in the states and had many friends. She pulled on the Malahat Salmon Arrow 11-man Canoe. From personal experience I know this teaches dedication, commitment, humility, following the Snuwuyuth, and listening to your skipper. Born in 1931 she lived through the great depression, boarding school, racism, poverty, and in later life conquered alcoholism. The resilience and strength with in her is truly amazing. She is a hwulmuhw woman of inner strength, unrelenting will, and gave cancer the best fight she could.

Her entire life of 84 years teaches us so much. What I have learned from Granny Helen is … that any obstacle can be overcome, good things can come out of dedication and hard work, family is the heart of life, never give up and believe in yourself!

Our hope for Granny Helen … to be at peace, reconnect with her loved ones, know she is remembered, that she is forever connected in heart and spirt, she is deeply loved, and will continue to inspire us all!

On behalf of the family we raise our hands for all your love and support!

Huy Steep’qu Siem!