Helen Hein

2021 - 2022

Helen Hein

10/21/1919 -

3/3/2022

Helen Juanita Hein died March 3, 2022, at the All About Marvelous Care home in Central Point, Oregon. Helen was born on October 21, 1919, in Denver, Colorado, the second youngest of twelve children born to George and Elizabeth Schwabauer, both Volga Germans who had emigrated from Russia at the turn of the 20th century. Helen's family moved to Montana, where she met and married Richard Rudolf Hein, in 1935. Richard was himself the son of Bessarabia German parents, who had emigrated from Ukraine in 1910. Having quit school in the 8th grade to help her farming family harvest sugar beets, Helen became a rancher's wife, and she and Richard would own cattle ranches in Montana, before moving to southern Oregon in the late 1950s, and owning a cattle ranch in Jacksonville, off what is now Pair A Dice Ranch Road, for the next four decades. Helen worked hard on the ranch, milking cows and tending large flower and vegetable gardens, while also raising two children and maintaining a lovely home for her family.

Helen was very active in the Jacksonville, Oregon community- serving as a President of the Chamber of Commerce. Helen and Richard were also early members of the Britt Festival Society, as well as active members of the First Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville, including contributing greatly to the campaign to get the new church built, to accommodate the growing congregation, for which the historic church had run out of space. Helen was also well known in the community for her active engagement in the Jacksonville Pioneer Days festivities, each summer. Helen would sew elaborate pioneer era dresses for herself and fine vests for Richard, who was Grand Marshall of the parade in the 1990s. Helen was also well known for her excellent cooking and baking skills, including decorating beautiful wedding cakes in the 1960s and 1970s. Helen was also accomplished in creating beautiful beaded earrings, necklaces, and bracelets; often giving them as gifts to family and friends and contributing pieces to be auctioned for church fundraisers.

Helen is survived by her granddaughter Michelle Long, grandson Robert Ford, great grandsons Andrew Ford and Alekzander Ford, and daughter Maryann Davenport. Helen was preceded in death by her husband Richard and her son Raymond.

A memorial celebration of Helen's life will be held at 10:30am on May 16, 2022, at the Historic First Presbyterian Church at 405 E. California Street in Jacksonville, Oregon.