Helen Agnes Perl passed away peacefully on Monday March 14^th, 2016 at Squires Residence, an assisted care facility in Kennewick, Washington. 

Helen was born on November 17^th, 1923 to John and Ann Elliott in St. Anthony, Idaho.  Helen was a bookkeeper/accountant for most of her life.  She met her husband, Elmer, at the U.S.O. in Twin Falls, Idaho during World War II.  After the war, Helen was reunited with Elmer and they were married in Ann Arbor, Michigan on June 22^nd, 1947.  They were later sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Elmer passed away August 19^th, 2005. Elmer and Helen were married for fifty eight years and had two children, Thomas Raymond Perl and Pamela Ann Perl McWhorter. 

The Perls moved from Bremerton, Washington to Richland, Washington in 1959 where Elmer worked on the Hanford site for various contactors.  Helen worked for B, B & M Sporting Goods as a bookkeeper, and for Dunning Ray Insurance and Keller Insurance as a comptroller. 

Helen and Elmer began to travel with their good friends, the Galbraiths, after Elmer retired.  They visited all the continents of the world except Antarctica.  Winters were spent in Mesa, AZ as snow birds. 

Helen had a tremendous love of music.  Fellow church members and family will remember her for her piano and organ accompaniment.  She served in several positions in the church, but she was always most comfortable seated at the organ or piano.  She also loved to play bridge.  She continued to play bridge until she entered a retirement home in 2012.  An important part of Helen’s social life was her long time membership in Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. She loved her sorority sisters and missed being able to attend the recent activities due to her failing health.   

Her family remembers her for her keen sense of humor, wit and intelligence.  When other senior citizens were shying away from the computer, Helen was taking computer classes and teaching her children.  She joked about being the “Mother of Pearl” and naming a child or grandchild Oyster Perl.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband Elmer, her mother and father, grandsons Michael and Joshua and great grandson Caleb. 

She is survived by her son, Tom, his wife Nancy and their children John (Tonia),Robert (Kelly), Mark (Kalli), Allen (Emily), Crystal Southwick(Parker), Douglas (M’Kaaylie), Deanna, Jessica Gibson (Jacob) and Christina; her daughter Pam, her husband Mike McWhorter and their children Jennifer Smith (Jobey), Shelley Ellis (Robert), and Kimberly James (Joshua).  She is also survived by 19 great grandchildren. 

The Perl Family would like to thank Squires Residence for taking care of Helen during her final three years of her life.  Also, thanks to Heartlinks Hospice and Palliative Care for their acts of loving service during the past two weeks.  We were able to rest assured that our mother was receiving the best of care and that she was loved. 

Services will be held for Helen on Saturday March 19, 2016 at the LDS chapel on Thayer starting at 11:00 a.m.

Express your thoughts and memories on Helen Perl’s online Guestbook at www.einansatsunset.com