Helen R. Barrett

Helen died suddenly at her home on December 20, 2017 with her husband Jim at her side. Helen was born Jan. 4, 1924 at Bend, Oregon, to George and Anna Rastovich: delivered by Dr. L.C. Vandevert and a mid-wife. She attended grade school.at Richardson, a two room school house once located at the NE corner of Hwy 20 and Hamby Rd. She graduated from Bend High School located between Wall & Bond streets in 1941. Four days after graduation she went to work for former District Attorney A.J. Moore in the O'Kane Building with a salary of $15 a month. Five months later she moved across the hall to work for Craig Coyner Collection Agency at $60 a month. In Feb. 1943 she began her life career with the U.S. Forest Service working as a Clerk-Stenographer under a War Service Appointment for the Deschutes National Forest. In 1951 she transferred to the Deschutes Research Center later known as the Silviculture Laboratory until her retirement on Jan. 5, 1979. In 1963 she visited the homeland of her parents, Yugoslavia, with her father, oldest sister and other family, meeting an uncle and numerous first cousins for the first time. On June 30, 1973, she married James W. Barrett, III who was a research forester with the U.S Forest Service and born in Independence, Iowa. Together Jim & Helen built a home and cleared land on an abandoned homestead on Ward Rd. purchased with her savings years prior (adjacent to property her parents homesteaded nearly 100 years ago). Growing up her father would buy the groceries, clothes, medicines, etc. while her mother stayed on the farm tending to the seven children. Many of the girl's dresses were made of printed flour sacks and made-over hand-me-downs. Helen learned to pinch pennies and in 1948 she purchased a new Plymouth Coupe in cash with U.S. Government Bonds. She was a member of the Eastern Star Grange. She sewed many of her clothes, loved to cook, garden, can, paint pictures; learn about conserving energy and healthy living. She and Jim enjoyed fishing, boating and traveled most of the U.S., Hawaii, Fiji, Australia, New Zealand and Alaska. Helen is survived by her husband Jim and numerous nieces and nephews. She was the last to die of the George and Anna Rastovich family, preceded in death by her father, mother, brothers Robert, Mike and Danny and sisters Millie Chopp, Marie Barnum and Martha Blair. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Deschutes Co. Pioneer Assn., the Deschutes Co. Historical Society or the American Heart Assn. A Funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM on Thur., Dec. 28 at the Niswonger-Reynolds Funeral Chapel, Bend, followed by interment at Pilot Butte Cemetery, Bend Funeral Home: Niswonger-Reynolds Funeral Home 105 NW Irving Ave Bend, OR US 97701

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Helen R. Barrett

January 4, 1924 - December 20, 2017