Helen Page LINTZ

Age 91, died of heart failure on Friday, July 18th, 2014 in her Rincon Valley home in Santa Rosa, California. She lived a full life as a loving mother, a friend to many, and distinguished by her genuine love and deep interest in talking with people. Her life of service was marked by a nursing career spanning 60 years. She had the blessing of turning strangers into life-long friends. Helen was born in Spokane, WA, on May 17th, 1923, to parents Ross Page and Martha Armstrong Boardman. The family moved several times until finally settling in Los Gatos, CA, where her father taught High School. Helen and her younger sister Merry described a wonderful childhood wherever the family called home. Helen graduated from UC Berkeley in 1946 with a degree in Nursing. During senior year she met James Patrick Lintz, whom she would later marry. He was starting Dental School at the University of San Francisco following his service during World War II as a P-51 pilot. Deferring their new relationship, Helen began her career with an internship at the New York Presbyterian Hospital. In 1947 she traveled to Hawaii to work at the Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu. She then answered the call to serve for two years on the island of Molokai at Kalaupapa, the colony established to treat patients with Hansen's disease (leprosy). She returned to California and was married on September 3rd, 1950. The new couple decided that Santa Rosa was a beautiful place for opening a dental practice and raising a family. They raised four sons: Mark, Brian, Eric, and David. The family joined the Oak Park Swim and Racquet Club in Rincon Valley in 1961, which led to her supporting the "Otters" swim meets in which all of her sons competed. Her enjoyment of swimming never waned and her perseverance in distance swimming earned her recognition in the "1,000 mile swim club" when she was in her 70s. The family frequently attended the UC Berkeley alumni camp "Lair of the Golden Bear" in the Sierras, where Helen enjoyed renewing acquaintances with her fellow alumni. She was an assistant leader for two senior Girl Scout troops for many years and delighted in the annual camping trips to the Twin Lakes up in the Sierras. As the children grew she resumed her nursing career at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital and later at Sonoma County Community Hospital (now the Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa). She transitioned to become a school nurse in 1983, serving in districts throughout the northern and western schools of the county. Helen formally retired in 1995, but continued working as a volunteer until 2007. She also volunteered with the Red Cross to conduct basic first aid and CPR classes. She traveled extensively throughout the world having visited every continent and sailing on almost every sea. Her most frequent travels were to Europe and almost yearly trips to Hawaii. She enrolled in night school classes at the Santa Rosa Junior College, studying French, German, and Spanish. Helen loved to talk with the people in the many lands she visited. In addition to her alumni organization, Helen was involved with many groups such as the Etude Club, American Association of University Women, League of Women Voters, Saturday Afternoon Club, and two French clubs. She maintained close contact with classmates and friends from her early years in nursing school. While traveling in Hawaii this past July, Helen was interviewed by a local TV station regarding her service on Kalaupapa 66 years ago. See her on http://khon2.com/2014/07/07/nurse-recalls-service-on-kalaupapa/ She was loved, respected, and remembered by everyone she met. She will be dearly missed by everyone whose life she has touched. Helen is survived by her four sons, four grandchildren, and her sister. She was predeceased by her husband of 39 years. Memorial Services will be held at the Friedman Center located at 4676 Mayette Ave, Santa Rosa, at 2 p.m. on Friday, September 12th.