Helen Marie Galicia

1958 - 2018

HELEN MARIE GALICIA
October 10, 1958 - December 30, 2018

Helen Marie Galicia, 60, passed away on Sunday, December 30, 2018 in Bakersfield. On December 12, 2018, Helen suffered a massive brain aneurysm and was hospitalized over the next 2 1/2 weeks with her family by her side.

Helen was born on October 10, 1958 in Downey, California but moved to Bakersfield shortly thereafter where she permanently resided. Helen attended South High School and graduated in 1976. A few short years later, Helen met the love of her life, Gerald Galicia in 1978. The two had a 6-month courtship and became engaged. They became married on October 13, 1979. Together they have 3 children and Helen was fortunate to stay home with her children for a period of time as a homemaker. As her children got older, she was able to attend college. Helen graduated with her AA degree in Criminal Justice from Bakersfield College and went on to become employed with the State of California, Alcohol Beverage Control as an office tech for three years. She had greater ambitions and took on the academy at 40 years old to become an investigator for the ABC. Later on, she chose a shift in employment and got on with the Department of Health Services as a Medi-Cal Fraud Investigator where she investigated both recipients of fraud as well as prescribers. Helen retired at age 54 but still wasn't done with being busy. She decided to enter the esthetician program at Milan Institute in Bakersfield and graduated the program in 2017. She lived part time in Grover Beach to help her daughter Julie, who is also an esthetician, run her waxing business. Helen eventually moved back to Bakersfield full time and saw clients out of her home for facials, waxing, and other skin care needs. Her most favorite clients were her grandsons as she loved to give them facials.

Helen's most favorite thing to do, was spend time with her family. She always said, "my kids and my grandkids make me the most happy." Aside from this, she also enjoyed going for walks, dancing, and traveling. Helen and her husband Gerry, took trips to Sweden, London, Rome, cruised the Western Mediterranean, and most recently, vacationed in Paris in September 2017. She and her husband also saw Bruno Mars in concert in November 2017 which became a great memory for them. Helen was also known to her family and friends for all of her grand ideas about new business ideas or investments whether it be in stocks or property.

Helen was preceded in death by her father, Tony Pesina.

She is survived by her husband of 39 years, Gerry; daughters Christine Forest and husband Michael Forest, Julie Irey and husband Amadee Irey, and son Gerry Galicia; 5 grandchildren Ryan Forest, Andrew Forest, Nicholas Forest, Sebastian Cipres, and Luc Irey; mother Vickie Lopez; brother Tony Lopez all from Bakersfield. She will also be greatly missed by a host of family and friends.

Pallbearers will be Michael Forest, Amadee Irey, Beau Portillo, Ryan Forest, Andrew Forest, Sebastian Cipres, and Nicholas Forest.

A viewing will be held on Tuesday, January 8, 2019 from 4:00pm-8:00pm at Greenlawn Mortuary Southwest. Funeral services will take place on Wednesday, January 9, 2019 with a rosary at 9:30am followed with a church service at 10:00am at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Internment will immediately follow church services at Greenlawn Mortuary Southwest.