Helen Myrl Hendrickson passed away peacefully on January 1, 2017 at Callaway Gardens in Kennewick.  She had been born February 13, 1928 to Earl and Myrl Swain in the rugged sand hills of Nebraska, the fifth of six children. Helen rode behind her brother on a horse to the one room school house through elementary school. The Swains had very little money during the Depression and like most families at that time” used it up and wore it out” before there was a penny spent to buy something new. Her mom and dad gave up farming and Earl was able to find a job with the Union Pacific Rail Road.  The family moved to North Platte, Nebraska where Helen graduated from High School in 1946, the same year as her older sister.  Helen was quiet and shy, especially in the shadow of her older sister who was much more outgoing. 

Helen’s teenage years were spent in North Platte during World War II .  Her older brother went off to war as did many of her male cousins and family friends.  Although Helen was young she did her bit by being part of the North Platte USO.  She and her sisters baked cakes so any soldier on a troop train that stopped in North Platte would receive a cake if it was their birthday. 

After high school Helen attended business school for one year to take classes in bookkeeping.  She worked as a bookkeeper until her brother-in-law brought home a hungry, handsome young sailor who was hitchhiking his way back to San Diego to live after the war.  Larry Hendrickson stuck around, got a job with the Union Pacific, married Helen and they lived in North Platte where two babies were born. 

Larry decided he wanted to take advantage of the GI Bill and get more education.  He was accepted to Milwaukee School of Engineering and the family moved to Wisconsin, home for Larry but new for Helen.  While Larry was a student Helen used the skills she’d learned during the Depression to use it up and wear it out as there was very little extra money.  They lived in Milwaukee until Larry started a new job and there was money to buy a house in Waukesha, WI and a car to carry him back and forth to work.  While in Waukesha, Larry began to have serious difficulties with his health.  Helen decided it was time to dust off her bookkeeping skills and find a job.  Her first job was a bookkeeping job with Waukesha Lime and Stone and she often jokingly said she counted rocks for a living.  Waukesha Lime and Stone was absorbed by Payne and Dolan Paving Company and Helen continued her career for over 28 years with the same company.  In 1966 Larry passed away and Helen was left to care for 2 children on her own.  Again, money was tight but Helen managed to give her children everything they needed and occasionally a few things they wanted.  She also taught them the value of an education and a work ethic. She was enormously proud of how her children turned out.

After retirement Helen made the decision to move to Kennewick to be closer to her daughter and grandchildren.  Good Shepard Lutheran Church became a second home to Helen where she attended Bible study and became a member of the church council and Sunday School teacher.  Sadly Good Shepard closed and Helen needed to find another church family at Richland Lutheran Church.  By that time Helen was beginning to show the early signs of Alzheimer’s disease and attended services but was not as involved with church life as she had been previously. Helen loved her little house and garden in Kennewick but it became too much for her to care for. She first moved into assisted living and eventually into Callaway Gardens where she was lovingly cared for by the entire staff there as her memory faded.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents Earl and Myrl Swain , her siblings LeRoy Swain, Delbert Swain, Verda Smith, Betty Jane Burrell and Keith Swain,  and son Timothy Hendrickson. 

She is survived by her daughter, Katharyn Giever and her husband Richard; grandchildren, Tamara Clear and her husband Chris, Matthew and his wife Stacey, Michael Hendrickson, Thomas Giever and his wife Emily, Elisabeth and Brian Giever and his wife Janell, and many great grandchildren. 

A private memorial service was held on January 9^th, 2017.