Helen Cary Whitney's Obituary
Helen Cary Whitney was born on May 1, 1935 and raised in North Amherst, where her father was a professor of history at the University of Massachusetts. After graduating from Connecticut College and graduate study in chemistry, she and her husband Bob moved to Minneapolis and then Tacoma, where Bob served in the US Army and began his practice of Radiology. They were married for 54 years until his death in 2012. Helen continued to stay in the family home of 49 years, and then lived her last nine years under excellent care at eliseo (fka Tacoma Lutheran Retirement Community). She passed away on August 25, 2023 at the age of 88.
Among Helen's favorite pastimes were skiing, canoeing, birding, sailing, tennis, adventures with the Wild Women of the Wilderness, and enjoying fabulous views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains from Tacoma and Fox Island. Indoors, she enjoyed sudoku, puzzle games, bridge, classical music, and exercise at the Y.
Over the years she was a dedicated volunteer for Tahoma Audubon, Northwest Sinfonietta, University Place Presbyterian Church, Charles Wright Academy, and the Medical Auxiliaries for Pierce County and Washington State.
Helen is survived by children Ken (Kari), Lorraine (Tom), and David (Lisa), and six grandchildren (Helen, Cary, Katie, Chris, Brian, and Jenny), all of whom still have firm roots in the Puget Sound area.
Her life is being celebrated at a family gathering.
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