Helen L. Patterson

February 8, 1924 - February 27, 2017

Helen L. Patterson, born on February 8, 1924, in Trinidad, Colorado, passed away in Honolulu on February 27, 2017, at the age of 93. Prior to moving to Hawaii, she had lived mostly in Arizona and California, where she raised three children, Rick, Anna and Lindy. While raising her children, she went back to college obtaining a Bachelor’s then a Master’s degree and became a primary school teacher. Helen was lovely to be with, laughed easily and was a good listener. Her creativity and style were inspirational. She was at many times during her life engaged in making this world a better place, active at high school in debating and theater, supporting the war effort during WWII, as a teacher molding young kids so they would become their best version, supporting a refugee family in her neighborhood, raising money to get a vaccine for polio… In her later years, she spoke with passion about politics and was sad to see the USA going into such dark places. When she retired in Hawaii 23 years ago, she became involved in social activities and will be remembered for reviving the Oahu Chapter of the Hawaii Bead Society and sharing her love for beadwork. Her children, grandchildren and friends will miss her dearly. Celebration of her life will take part at the Soka Gakkai International Hawaii Culture Center, 2729 Pali Highway, on March 15, 2017 at 7 pm. Her ashes will be scattered during a private ceremony. Listen to Things More often than Beings Hear the voice of fire Hear the voice of water Listen in the wind To the sighs of the bush This is the ancestors breathing Those who are dead are not ever gone They are in a woman’s breast In the wailing of a child And the burning of a log In the moaning rock In the weeping grasses In the forest and the home The dead are not dead They are in the trembling of the trees In the groaning of the woods In the water that runs In the water that sleeps They are in the hut, they are in the crowd The dead are not dead Birago Diop