Obituary of Helen Heckenlaible

Helen Adele Heckenlaible, age 102 years, 10 months, and 11 days, of Lodi, Cali-fornia, died quietly in her own home on August 9th. Daughter of the late William Fisk Brewer and Mabel Gertrude Booth Brewer, she was born Helen Adele Brewer on September 29, 1903, in Bozeman, Montana, where she spent her early years. Among her early memories are the flu epidemic of 1918 and also the rejoicing when the Armistice was signed ending World War I, on "the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month." (For some years after, this date was celebrated as "Armistice Day," but now is called "Veterans' Day.") Helen graduated from Grinnell College (Iowa) in 1925. She taught elementary school for one year, and then worked in Chicago, where she met and married Arthur Carl Heckenlaible. They subsequently lived in Oklahoma City, Helena, Montana, and Richland, Washington, before moving to Lodi in 1946. Art worked for eighteen years for the City of Lodi, serving as City Engineer and Superintendent of Public Works. After his retirement, he and Helen enjoyed traveling around the United States in their trailer, and also enjoyed trips to Europe, Alaska, and Hawaii. Art passed away in 1988. Helen enjoyed music, reading, travel, and history. As she became interested in genealogy, she researched her family history and found twenty ancestors who had served in the Revolutionary War, and one who came over on the Mayflower, as well as several ancestors who were 19th Century missionaries and / or teachers in Turkey, Greece, and Hawaii. Helen was a member of the United Congregational Christian Church, the El Toyon Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Society of Mayflower Descen-dants of Sacramento, and the Hawaiian Mission Children's Society. She also belonged to the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia and the Germans from Rus-sia Heritage Society (her husband's heritage). Helen bought her first computer at age ninety. She kept her church?s attendance records on her computer until she was ninety-seven. She spent a lifetime doing kind and caring things for other people. Predeceased by her sister, Gertrude Delavan Brewer, Helen is survived by her two children and their spouses: a daughter Wilma Spice and Gordon Spice of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; a son Richard Heckenlaible and Donna (Mitchell) Heckenlaible of La Mirada, California; and one grandson, Michael Heckenlaible and great-granddaughter Melissa Heckenlaible of Riverside, California. Also many cherished cousins. Viewing will be at the Lodi Funeral Home (725 South Fairmont) on Monday and Tuesday, August 14-15. Memorial services will be held at the United Congregational Christian Church, 701 South Hutchins Street, Lodi, at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 16, with the Rev. Mr. Jack Dawson officiating. A family graveside service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the United Congregational Christian Church, the Haggin Museum in Stockton, Habitat for Humanity, or to the char-ity of your choice.