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Kathleen “Ginger” V. Helmick (Babcock)
06/13/1931 — 05/05/2023
From Kennewick, WA | Born in Ridgway, CO
Graveside Inurnment
Kathleen “Ginger” V. Helmick (Babcock)
Kathleen Virginia Helmick (Babcock), age 91, passed peacefully May 5, 2023 in Kennewick, Washington. She was born June 13, 1931 in Ridgway, Colorado to Myrton and Violet Babcock. Everyone called her “Ginger”.
Ginger was raised in a Christian home with one brother and four sisters. She moved to Fort Bragg California to help with family at the age of seventeen. She met the love of her life Ralph Charles Helmick and they were married November 12, 1949. They enjoyed being snowbirds and traveling during their retirement years. At the time of Ralph’s passing in 2004 they had celebrated 52 years of marriage.
She was a devoted mother to five children. They were raised in a loving Christian home in Collinsville, Oklahoma.
Family time was very important to her. She loved picnics, camping and swimming anytime of the year. She was especially fond of Spring and Fall scenic drives. Her favorite foliages included azaleas, dogwoods, redbuds, and aspen. Holidays were always extra special from Easter potluck dinners to a festive Christmas season. Her fondness for anything Santa expanded into a cherished collection over the years.
In 1971 she became a grandmother and would go on to have 12 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and 12 great-great-grandchildren.
Ginger’s family was the joy of her life. She loved to talk about them and was very proud of each and every one of them!
She was “Aunt Ginger” to numerous nephews and nieces and was a loyal friend to many.
She leaves behind her sons, Charlie (Margie) Helmick of Duncanville, Texas, Jim (Judy) Helmick of Sheridian, Wyoming; daughters, Sharon (Dan) Mabe of Skiatook, Oklahoma, Shirley Falls of Pasco, Washington, and Mary (Steve) Ridener of Sand Springs, Oklahoma.
Ginger is preceded in death by her loving husband of 52 years, Ralph Helmick; Parents, Myrton and Violet Babcock; brother, Phil; sister, Shirley; son-in-law, Otis Falls; granddaughter, Jennifer Banks; and dear friend, Lena Nash.
She leaves a great legacy and will live in our hearts forever.
Ginger will be laid to rest next to her dear husband Ralph at Grandview Cemetery in Montrose, Colorado on Saturday, May 13, 2023.
Flowers can be ordered locally in Montrose, just ask to have them delivered either to the cemetery and/or Crippin Funeral Home.
I was in my mid teens when we moved into our house, across the street from Uncle Ralph and Aunt Ginger. They treated us, the new kids, just like we were their own. Our two families became close. Friendship turned into family and we shared a lot of weekends and holidays together from then on. Aunt Ginger taught me how to be a better person.
I always thought we were blood relatives until I was in my teens. Aunt Ginger and Uncle Ralph were in many ways closer to us Nash kids than my biological Aunts and Uncles. I’ll miss Aunt Ginger’s wise consult when things got rough for me in my later years. Favorite tidbit of advice from her? “Just play it cool, kid!” I love her and miss her forever. Rest in peace my dear friend and enjoy your reunion up yonder!
Ginger was a sweet lady and I was glad to know her . My first memory of meeting her and Ralph was a visit to our home in Evanston Wyoming. Arriving in their RV with a license plate that read “we are spending our kids inheritance” . Ginger was always gracious to me and introduced me to fried okra for the first time . Ginger and Ralph were kind, warm and generous people who loved family and passed this on to their children.
I am grateful for this legacy Ginger left and continues on in her family. Although I am not biologically related, I have been a grateful recipient and have been richly blessed by this loving family.
Thank you Ginger ❤️
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Kathleen “Ginger” V. Helmick (Babcock)