Lorene Alice Helbling

11/02/1921 - 01/02/2011

HELBLING,
Lorene Alice
(Rach)(Age 89)

Passed away January 2, 2011 to join the Lord and deceased members of her family.
Lorene, fondly known as Rene, was born November 2, 1921 in Moscow, Idaho to Dora and Henry Rach. She attended grade school and high school in Moscow and was a member of the first class to graduate from the new Moscow High School in 1939.
She graduated from University of Idaho in 1943 with a teaching degree. She was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega Sorority and remained active as a member of its board of directors for many years.
While in college she met and fell in love with Ray Helbling. They were married the week following her graduation from the U of I and celebrated 62 years together prior to Ray's passing in 2005.
The Helbling family moved to Idaho from North Dakota and established International Harvester farm implement stores in Moscow, Pullman and Genesee where Ray was an active partner in the business.
Rene and Ray were blessed with four children (two boys and two girls) and were active as leaders in Boy Scouts and Camp Fire. The family enjoyed snow skiing and spending time at their lake cabin.
After her youngest child was in school, Rene returned to the University of Idaho and studied art and water color. She became a well known water color artist with many of her paintings being displayed and sold in local and regional galleries. She was best known for her landscapes of old area barns and the golden Palouse wheat fields.
For over twenty years Rene and Ray enjoyed spending their winters in Lake Havasu City, AZ where they made wonderful lifetime friends from all over the United States and Canada.
She was a charter member of the Palouse Watercolor Socius founded by her professor Alf Dunn, Idaho Watercolor Society and she received numerous blue ribbons and the Grumbacher Award in juried shows. She was also a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Catholic Women's League, Alpha Chi Omega Alumni Club, Chapter AB of PEO, and Bridge Club.
Rene was preceded in death by her parents Dora and Henry Rach, sisters Edna (Peggy) Hamilton and her husband John, her sister, Myrtle Rach, her daughter, Janice and her husband Ray.
Lorene is survived by three children, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild and her beloved cat, Mink.
The families include: son, Tom and wife Judy, of Kirkland, WA, their daughter Heidi and husband Mark Snell of Naples, Italy, their son Mark, wife Darci and son Ethan of Spokane, WA; daughter, Nancy Thiessen and husband Bob of Sacramento, CA., son Ryan Keller and wife Morgan, Coeur d'Alene, ID; son, Greg, wife Kathy and their sons Brett and Brandon of Coeur d' Alene, ID.
Other relatives include the extended Helbling family.
Services will be held at Coeur d' Alene Homes Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. and at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Moscow, Idaho on Friday, January 7, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. Rosary will precede Funeral Mass at 10:30 A.M. Burial will be at the Moscow Cemetery. SHORT'S FUNERAL CHAPEL of MOSCOW is in charge of the arrangements.
Memorials can be made to St. Mary's Catholic School in Moscow, Coeur d'Alene Homes in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, or a charity of your choice.
Online condolences may be sent to www.shortsfuneralchapel.net.