Helen M. Deburger's Obituary
Helen Margaret (Labhart) Deburger was born Feb. 26, 1921, in Salt Lake City, Utah to Henry and Florence Labhart. She was one of six children, four older brothers and a younger sister. She was preceded in death by all of her siblings. Her family moved to Compton, California when Helen was five. There she met and married Bob Gillis and had two children, Robert (Larry) Gillis and Kathleen (Gillis) Larsen. Helen didn't finish high school until 1965 when she went to night school to get her GED. Helen worked as a Lab and X-ray Technician and back office nurse for 40 years.
In 1965 she met and married Hardy Deburger. They moved to a mini-farm in Anderson, California. They loved that little "farm" and enjoyed gardening and raising cows and chickens. Hardy passed away in 1978 and Helen moved to Oregon to be close to her son Larry and daughter-in-law Charleen and their two children. She became very involved in her church and women's bible study and worked as a nurse for a local Dr.
When her son and daughter-in-law moved to Hawaii to start a church she felt called to go there to help. She worked with them in two different churches for nine years and then at age 70 moved to Washington State to be close to her daughter Kathy and son-in-law Terry and their children.
Helen moved into Life Manor Independent Living in 1991 and lived there for 10 years before moving to the Assisted Living where she lived until 2012. She was a member of Life Center Church and very involved in the activities there (Women's Ministery & Senior Choir). She gave much of her time at both living facilities by leading singing, putting up the mail, running the independent grocery store and helping in the office. Helen Loved her jigsaw puzzles and helping with those that couldn't help themselves.
Helen passed away March 14, 2013, under the watchful eye of Hospice at the Orchard Park Care Center in Tacoma. WA. She has gone to be with her parents, brothers and sister and most of all her Savior Jesus Christ. She leaves her two children, four grandchildren Tim (Juliet) Gillis, Kari Cavaness, Robyn (Jeff) Byus and Bret (Monica) Roper. She also leaves eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild, six nieces and a nephew.
A celebration of her life will be at Life Center Chapel Tuesday March 26th at 2:00PM. A graveside service will be in Anderson, CA April 1at at 10:00AM. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Franciscan Hospice of Tacoma.
Arrangements by Mountain View Funeral Home.
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