Helen Mae Schumacher

Helen was born in Kirkland, WA to Clarence and Agnes Jewell and lived there for 91 of her nearly 100 years. She outlived all of her 6 siblings: Edna, Ellwood, Edith, Ethel, Mary and Ray, who shared many adventures on their family farm where the downtown Kirkland U.S. Post Office is now located. Helen attended Seattle Edison for 2 years, graduating in tailoring and made much of her daughters’ clothing, as well as wedding dresses for sisters Edith and Ethel. She met her future husband, Martin Edward Schumacher at the Nabisco Company in Seattle, with whom she camped across the United States and visited Europe and Australia. Known as a tomboy as a girl, Helen infamously broke a wrist on one trip when she fell from a tree she had climbed, in her mid-60s. Ed passed away 17 days after celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary in 2011.

Helen Mae, as her siblings called her, was feisty and a bright light to all who knew her. She kept her freckles ("kisses from the sun" she called them) and natural red hair her entire life, and loved the color yellow. She was active in her Lutheran Church, and was a popular docent at the Burke Museum at the University of Washington for 15 years. Helen worked as a talented seamstress making children's apparel for Tot Lines, near where Houghton Beach is located, also for Prim Cleaners in Kirkland doing alterations. She served as a precinct officer for city, county, state and national elections for many years. A favorite apple crisp recipe is written on an old former paper ballot, long before all ballots had to be destroyed following each election.

Helen loved parlor games with family and friends, including Bridge, and played them all her adult life. She also was an original member of a longtime group of artsy ladies who called themselves Paint Club. Helen was known for her green thumb, pinching off a tiny start on a plant and getting it to grow and thrive. Also known for her delicious popcorn balls, fruitcake, raspberry jam, and canned fruit, and delighted in many types of handcrafts, which each subsequent generation shared with her. For her 95th birthday she requested hand-made cards rather than gifts, again encouraging our creativity.

Left to mourn are three daughters: Beth Fox, Kate (Steve) Palevich, and JES Schumacher; five grandchildren: Patrick, Matthew, Meghan, Jed and Kristian; and seven great-grandchildren: Aerin, Joanna, Andrew, Mason, Evelyn, Russell and Natalie and numerous nieces, nephews and extended family and many, many dear friends. Family meant everything to Helen, and she leaves quite a legacy of love, light and laughter, which shall live on through family and friends she leaves behind. A memorial is planned for Sunday, June 2, 2019 at 3 PM, All Saints Lutheran in Bellevue WA.