Helen Mary (Casey) Popravak

Helen Mary (Casey) Popravak, 80, unexpectedly passed away in hospital in Vancouver, WA on Thursday, September 7, 2023 after a short illness. She was born in Chicago, IL on November 25, 1942, the third of four children of William J. Casey, Sr. and Elizabeth A. Casey, nee-Boyd. Helen was a devoted wife and mother with a passion for teaching and who loved our country deeply. She never backed down from a challenge.

Helen attended Chicago Vocational School where she was a Trademaster reporter and graduated from then-new George Washington High School in Chicago, class of 1960, where she served as an office aide and a Sentinel. Helen worked at Bauer and Black in medical supply before she married Terrence G. Popravak in Gulfport, MS on October 25, 1960 and later left to start a family. She moved with her family from Chicago to Vancouver in 1972. Helen enjoyed reading, movies, sewing, music, calligraphy and scrapbooking, trips to the zoo and Oregon coast and holidays with her family. She loved animals and took a particular fancy to dogs, wolves and birds. Helen attended mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Vancouver until the COVID pandemic and health issues caused her to worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from home. She served as a Cub Scouts Den Mother, elementary school volunteer and was a member of the Washington State University (WSU) Alumni Association and EWTN Catholic Network.

Mother of seven children, after working as the school librarian at St. Joseph's, Helen returned to school to accomplish her lifelong dream of attaining a higher education. She obtained an Associates in Arts & Sciences degree from Clark College in 1996, then transferred to Washington State University Vancouver (WSUV) and graduated in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities. Helen returned to WSUV to earn her Master in Teaching, Cum Laude, in 1999. She then taught history and language arts at Covington Middle School in Vancouver for about 15 years before she retired in 2017.

Helen is survived by her husband Terrence Popravak, Sr., her children Terrence Popravak, Jr., Dawn Figlioli, Daniel Popravak, Erik Popravak, Nicholas Popravak and Michael Popravak, nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, as well as her siblings, Geraldine Residori, nee-Casey, of South Wilmington IL, William Casey, Jr. of Citrus Springs, FL and Robert Casey of Reno, NV. She was preceded in death by her parents and daughter Colleen.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests any donations to honor Helen's memory be made to EWTN Catholic Network or the Humane Society.

Viewing will be at 10 am on September 21 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Vancouver, followed by a funeral mass and then burial at Park Hill Cemetery.