Helen Frances Bardecker

1919 - 2010

Helen Frances Bardecker August 24, 1919 - November 7, 2010 Our beloved mother passed away peacefully November 7, 2010 in Bakersfield, CA. Mom was born in New Jersey to George and Margaretha Ulrich. She was the youngest of five children. Mom married our Dad, Irving Bardecker, also from New Jersey in 1941. They settled in Oak Tree and started their family. In the early 1950's they decided to move to Miami, Florida. Now as a family of seven, with five children to raise, being a previously stay-at-home Mom, she took a job as a cashier in a local grocery store chain in Miami. She continued work becoming a bookkeeper and office manager for a marine supply company until she and Dad decided to retire in 1980. Mom and Dad decided to move out west after many trips to visit sons and a daughter all of whom married and settled in California to start their families. Mom and Dad found their mountain community home in Tehachapi saying that it reminded them of Oak Tree, NJ. Mom, not being one to stay at home, quickly got involved with the Newcomer's Club and The Guild of Tehachapi Hospital. One focus of Mom's community involvement efforts was to help raise one million dollars for the Tehachapi Hospital. A few years after our Dad passed away in 2004, Mom moved to Bakersfield to be closer to some of her children. Mom was a wonderfully caring and compassionate person. For so many years and in so many ways she was the center and the 'rock' of our family. Throughout her life so many people looked to her because of her integrity, honesty and loyalty and respected her for how she lived her life. Mom is preceded in death by her parents, all of her siblings, and our Dad. She is survived by her children, son, Jim and wife Nancy of Sky Forest; son, Jerry and wife Barbara of Gardnerville, NV; daughter, Pat and husband Jim Turner of Bakersfield; daughter, Nancy Novak of Santa Paula; and daughter, Linda and husband Ed Nance of Corona; 8 grandchildren, and 6 great- grandchildren. There will be a Memorial Service on Friday, Nov. 12, 10:30 a.m., held at the Wood Family Funeral Service Chapel, 321 West "F" Street, Tehachapi. A private burial will follow at a later date. Wood Family Funeral Service, Inc. is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers donations in memory of Helen Bardecker may be made to The Guild of Tehachapi Hospital, P.O. Box 447, Tehachapi, CA 93581. www.bakersfield.com/obits