Ruth Helen Baze, 88, passed on peacefully on January 19, 2018 in Kennewick after lengthy illness. Helen was born on January 25, 1929 in Ponderay, Idaho, the daughter of John and Susan (Neva) Pomerinke, the youngest of 7 children. After her father’s illness, her mother became a hardworking single parent, a rarity at the time. Her Mother’s examples of hard work, integrity and deep faith were life lessons that she carried with her throughout her years. The family moved to Toppenish, Washington when Helen was 5, where she grew up and attended school. On March 3, 1948 while attending a dance at the Sunnyside Community Hall, a handsome young man by the name of Rolland Baze asked her to dance. They became lifelong partners and were married on October 24, 1948 in Sunnyside.
Their early years were spent racing horses at various “bush” tracks in the Northwest. Their mornings started at 2 am taking care of the horses, were in the orchards working by 4 am and were back at the track by 4 pm to take care of the horses again. They began farming in the early 1950’s, and continued over the next 18 years, settling on the Roza in Prosser in 1955. In 1968 they returned to racing and breeding thoroughbreds at their farm near Whitstran, a life they continued for more than 25 years splitting time between tracks in the Northwest and Phoenix. Helen was raised a “city girl”, but she was fully engaged in their endeavors. Driving tractor and truck in the 50’s and 60’s, and conquering her fear of horses to the point of handling the high-strung thoroughbreds on and off the track. When times were tight, she worked off the farm in Prosser, and drove to the tracks on weekends to be with her husband and help with the horses.
Helen was a very loving supportive Mother, encouraging her children throughout their lives. Sewed dresses and coats, was a Cub Scout Den Mother, strived to make every Christmas magical, hauled them to music lessons, and learned to play instruments along with them. She had a wonderful sense of humor, loved music, was constantly singing snippets of songs she heard on the radio, danced in the kitchen and encouraged both her kids eventually sing professionally.
They sold their farm and retired in 1998, settling in Kennewick and spending winters in Arizona. With declining health and her increasing dementia, they moved to assisted living where Rolland provided unwavering love, care and support, staying constantly by her side - as he has been for the past 70 years.
Helen was preceded in death by her parents John and Susan Pomerinke; twin sister Ruby Pomerinke; sister Dorothy “Duck” Logsdon and brother Ernie Pomerinke. She is survived by her husband Rolland; daughter Rachelle (Dennis) Pleasant of Prosser; son Roddy (Rindi) Baze of Kennewick; granddaughters Denelle (Jared) Lind and Nikelle (Johnny) Hill; grandsons Travis (Taryn) Baze, Justin (Jessica) Baze and Ron (Lyndsey) Baze; sisters Isabel Noe, Elaine Reichert and Irene Gallipo, 8 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at 10 am on Saturday, January 27th at the Prosser Funeral Home, 1220 Sheridan. The family would like to thank Desert Wind Gardens and Tri-Cities Chaplaincy Hospice for their kindness and care during our Mother’s illness. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Tri-Cities Chaplaincy Hospice.
