HELEN PATRICIA LOOMIS

"Pat" 

At 3PM, on Wednesday afternoon, November 21, 2007 our mother passed away just days after suffering a small stroke. This stroke occurred one year and a day following the passing of her husband and life long companion, Edward L. Loomis. 

She was born in Spokane and at an early age came with her parents to Seattle. She was a graduate of '39 from Garfield High and remained an active member of the Golden Grads of Garfield. She attended the University of Washington and graduated with her RN and remained an active member of the Seattle Branch of the American Association of University Women. 

After the war years, she and her small family settled in Shoreline, where she spent the rest of her life and raised her family. She was always involved in service to the community and would lend a helping hand where ever needed. Just one of her many outreaches included opening her heart and her home to a severly burned Alaskan Native girl while she spent months in recouperation that couldn't be provided for in her small village on Kodiak Island.

She was very independent and was active in the community, being a founder of Mental Health North and continuing her nursing career in the King County Visiting Service, from which she retired in the early 1980's. She was truly a pioneer in Women's Rights in a period of time when society was resistant to women's advancements in many areas.

She continued to volunteer her time with the north end "First Friends" group, a small walk in center for those in need, and though she herself had grown frail, she would never miss their weekly get together's, and was surely missed this past Monday, when she was unable to attend due to the stroke.

Though the stroke left her unable to speak, within two days she had mostly recovered her ability to speak and her improvement was dramatic. She had always been a fighter and this moment of sickness would not stop her. So it was with great surprise and shock when she passed quite suddenly. Though she had the will, her body said it was time to go.

The last ten years of her life had also been spent in being the primary care giver for our father who had developed Alzhiemers. Though she had much support, the emotional and physical drain on her was great. In the past year her thoughts of "Ed" or many times, "The Old Coot!", were not far away. She missed him dearly and we know that she has now rejoined him, and that she has also rejoined her many loved ones that we have lost over the years.

She is survived by four sons and one grandson, a sister and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service is planned for Sunday, December 9th at 3:30PM. The service to be held at Bethel Lutheran of Shoreline, 175th and 8th NE, Shoreline. Internment will be at Evergreen Washelli.

At the service, we will be reading remembrances from those who knew and loved her. If you would like to provide a remembrance of her, please feel free to send an email (loomis.org@gmail.com) or send a letter to the post office box below.

Remembrances and condolences may be sent to: 

  The Loomis Families of America
P. O. Box 31963
Seattle, WA 98103

Loomis.org@gmail.com

          Copyright 2007 * The Loomis Families of America *