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Helen Bravo Leininger

FUNERAL HOME

Chapel of Flowers Funeral Home - San Jose

900 South Second Street

San Jose, California

Helen Leininger Obituary

Helen Bravo Leininger Entered into her new life on January 13, surrounded in her home by her husband of 50 years, Jim, her three children, Michael (Pandora), Kelly (Jim), and Trisha, as well as her grandchildren. Her sister, Lolly, her closest living relative, was also present, and cared for her often during Helen's 41 hospitalizations and 29 surgeries for cancer and the effects of radiation. She is also survived by brothers-in-law Reverend Bill Leininger, Robert (Judy),and Richard (Sharon); and Dolores Ann Perez of Hollister and her family. Helen died as she lived. Her gift to others was her acceptance of and ability to survive serious health problems, and pass the lessons along to many others of how to survive, how to live, and how to give to others through her work in Alanon and several cancer survivor groups. She became a champion of courage to many, many men and women. This sharing of her spiritual strength endured and grew through 38 years of cancer survival and 27 years in Alanon. Services will be held at Transfiguration Church, 4125 Jarvis Ave, San Jose on Saturday, January 17th at 10:30 a.m. Arrangements by Chapel of Flowers, San Jose. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to VNA Hospice of Gilroy.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by San Jose Mercury News on Jan. 15, 2009.

Memories and Condolences
for Helen Leininger

22 Entries

Julie Brooks

January 9, 2025

Helen was a wise and loving woman I met in the rooms and came to deeply respect her for her honesty courage and wisdom. Her love and compassion were shared easily and readily with all. Her marriage to Jim was a relationship I admired and tried to emulate. I loved her message in the rooms. "Duct tape and superglue." She´ll live on my heart forevermore.

Dawn Macias

January 10, 2010

Helen,
It has been about a year since you left. I can only hope to be half the woman you were. I hope that when I make my transition from this world to the next people will speak of me as they have of you. I miss you and your smile. But I see you in Kelly and Kate. And then I remember you. Peace to you sister.

Lisa McGilvrey (Lajara)

May 27, 2009

Dear Leininger Family,
I am very saddened by the loss of Mrs. Leininger (Helen). I have such fond memories of her that date back to my childhood. Having her as my neighbor growing up on Venado Way was really something special. She taught me to do stained glass, decoupage, ride a horse, cook flour tortillas and to just enjoy life. I remember the tough times at the begining of her long battle with cancer. She was such an amazing lady. Mrs. Leininger always embraced me with nothing but love, and I will forever be grateful for that love. When the family moved to Saratoga I tried to spend as much time up there as I possibly could. She and her family were such a big part of my life growing up. Even when I moved to Hawaii and had my 1st son Kalei, she continued to write to me and always offered encouraging words. I had lost touch over the years and around 4 years ago my Dad & I went to the house on Big Basin Way to say Hello, but she and Mr. Leininger had moved. That was a sad day. I want to let Mr. Leininger (Jim), Mike, Kelly & Trisha know that I am very sorry for their loss and that their Mom / wife was an amazing lady and I thank you all for sharing her with me.

May 19, 2009

My family and I just found out about Auntie Helen's journey. You will always be in our hearts, thoughts and prayers.

Love Always,
Christopher, Angela, Ashley, Alyssa, Jacob and Dylan Owens

Vicki Harvey

January 29, 2009

I met Helen 17+ years ago at a Friday morning meeting. I will forever see her beautiful smile and unbelievable compassion. She will forever be a hero. My condolences go out to the family.

Vicki

Art Sanchez

January 19, 2009

Dear Helen,
Thank you for always trying to dignify those that you loved and to understand those that were difficult to love. You blessed our community in so many ways - you were never 'mousy' when it came to your personal expression and you taught many of us to speak up in a much healthier way. I loved your honesty around the grittier aspects of life; it wasn't always pretty but it always seemed to allow many of us to look at a situation from an entirely different perspective. I am sorry that I wasn't able to mourn and console your family directly but please know that I hold you well in my heart and am better for knowing you.
Love ---Art Sanchez

Alvin McCoy

January 17, 2009

Another Star is gone from our Saturday nite meeting.Love to you and thefamily.Lucy Tansey and the McCoys

Fred Anderson

January 16, 2009

My condolences go to Jim and your family. Helen was one courages person and I am glad I got to know her through the Saturday night AA meeting at St Timotheys. I will miss that million dollar smile she had.
Fred Anderson

alice Sullivan

January 16, 2009

I thank God for Helen being in my life. What a woman!! How blessed we all were to have her. Words cannot describe what her courage and wisdom and compassion taught me these last 20 or so years. My prayers and thoughts are with her beloved family.

Julianna Brooks

January 16, 2009

Jim and family,
Our prayers are with you now, and we are so sorry for your loss.

Helen was an angel. She always had a smile and a hug whenever she saw me. She taught me grace.

She touched so many people lives. Her positive impact touches thousands of lives and for this we are blessed and grateful.

I am better person for knowing Helen Leininger.

Sue Olson

January 16, 2009

Jim,
News has made it to Montana and I just want to tell you how much Helen and, yes even you, mean and meant to me. She was my kind of gal.

Elaine Saulter

January 16, 2009

Duck tape and super glue will never mean that same thing to me. Hellen taght me so much in such simple ways. Grace personified. Will be keeping all in prayer.

Jill Vaile

January 16, 2009

We lost a jewel from our crown on Wednesday, our beloved Helen Lenninger.

Her time with us was borrowed in a way the rest of us will likely never know ourselves.
But Helen did.

I doubt I shall ever see such beauty and love emanating from any woman. Helen shared her Love and Truth so honestly, with such Acceptance.
She was walking Grace and Humility.

G-d blessed me, in November, and many of you reading this as well, when she decided to attend the SOS Women's Retreat. She had changed her mind about it, but then changed it back. Helen wanted one more time. So did all of us attending. G-d gave it to us all.

The joy we all felt in her presence was obvious. Though on oxygen, and moving with fragility, she never once complained. In our conversations, she listened with Wisdom and spoke to me with Love and Compassion. I wonder if I could ever embody such humility and sparkle. Even weak, Helen sparkled like a diamond and shone with the luster of the rarest pearl. We all knew that next year we would not have the gift of Helen's presence.

Helen took TIME. She knew hers was in G-d's hands, and she lived every second. She wrote notes filled with thoughtfulness and kindness. She went BEYOND what the rest of us did. She was a shining beacon of example.

She took and held my hand in her long, thin beautiful fingers, and looked me in the eyes while I talked with her. She, this ethereal, beautiful woman, gave me Courage and Strength when I was at a very low place.
Helen shared how she wanted to make everything as smooth as possible for her family, asking each member to choose something special that they wanted of hers.
Her daughter wanted her pillow so she could smell her mother after she was gone. I cried a lot when I heard that.

Today I shed only a few tears of loss. Helen is within us all now, and she is where there is no pain or suffering. I cannot grieve her passing like most because she is in such a much better place. We who are left behind are richer for having known, and been touched by, Helen..

If I can do anything at all in honor of Helen's life it is to do what I can to mirror the dignity, grace and love that she brought to all who knew her.
Thank You, Helen. Rest in Peace.

Allyson Simes

January 16, 2009

Helen was such an inspiration to all of us from S.O.S. Women's retreat at Asilomar. I sat and listened to her words of wisdom, once a year and every year, for the past 14 years. There will always be a special place in my heart for that dear women. They don't make them any tougher than Helen. She was the toughest little lady I've ever met in my life, and I know she will be truly missed. God Bless You Helen, and thank you for all your words of encouragement throughout the years.

Helen Gallagher McCaffrey

January 16, 2009

Jim,
I am so sad to hear of Helen's passing. She was the most courageous woman I have ever met with the most captivating smile and incredible attitude. I am so glad that we were able to reconnect 4 years ago. I remember the days when you and Helen were dating and came to our home. You were so cute and so in love. I always looked for you two at Sushi Zono on Saturday nights. I remember what she said to me at my Mother's memorial in August. She was an inspiration to the end.

Candy Nieto

January 16, 2009

I was blessed to meet and get to know Helen through AlAnon. She was such an inspiration to me; such a fabulous woman! Helen taught me about living life on your terms no matter what is going on. She had the ability to light up a room!! Her physical presence may be gone but I believe those of us in the program who knew her will forever feel her spirit with us at meetings and retreats.

My condolences to her friends and family. She will be missed and never forgotten.

Dianna Voegele

January 16, 2009

Helen was a true gift to myself and my family. Her possitive attitute, her strength, courage were just a few of the qualities that I admired of Helen. She was and will always continue to me someone I will look up to with the highest regard and admiration.
She taught me that no matter how bad you feel that you have a choice to either feel that way or to change the way you feel.
She had a way with words.
Helen you were one of a kind and I will deeply miss you

Fernando and Jacqui Garcia

January 15, 2009

Jim and Family, Our hearts are so heavy hearing of Helen's passing. To say she was an amazing woman is not enough. She was that and so much more. We are so lucky to have had the honor of knowing her and will miss her dearly, this is a great loss. You all are in our thoughts and prayers and we love you dearly.

Office Christmas party, 2007

Doug and Sandy Korten

January 15, 2009

What a beautiful women - such a great loss. Her bravery is an inspiration for all. Our hearts go out to you Jim and to your family.

Dawn Macias

January 15, 2009

Our deepest sympathy goes out to the Leininger family in their time of loss. Helen was a wonderful courageous spirit and it has been a priviledge to say that we knew her. She always had the cutest socks and her laugh was captivating. We will miss her and never forget her smile.

Dawn Macias, CMA
Lopa Patel, FNP
Lisa Jones, CMA
About Women's Health Medical Group

Pat Gallagher

January 15, 2009

Jim, my heart goes out to you and your family. I am so sorry for your loss and I am so grateful for having known Helen. She was one of my true heroes. Her courage and her sense of humor were an inspiration to us all.
Love,

Ron Etheridge

January 15, 2009

Jim,, sorry to hear orf Helen"s passing..I know how much it hurts ,only time can ease our pain and lonelyless. God bless you Jim and your family. Call me some time Rod has my number.

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