Helen Isabelle (Pierson) Russell, a resident of CA since 1963, of Santa Barbara, CA since 1968, and a retired Personnel Assistant of the County of Santa Barbara, died on October 28th at her home following a lingering illness.
Born October 30, 1924 in Plymouth, MA, reared and attended schools in that area and graduated from Plymouth High School, Class of 1942, her work career began at W.T. Grant’s while still in school and upon graduation she worked for Armstrong Cork Company first in the factory division stamping out airplane parts for the WWII military effort. Her later transfer to the office of that company in South Braintree, MA began her secretarial career spanning 42 years. Sworn into the US Navy (WAVES) on her 20th birthday, she served her tour of duty as a Yeoman First-Class at the Bureau of Personnel in Washington, D.C.
Helen continued her secretarial/administrative assistant career at lumber companies in Cedar Falls, Iowa; the US Air Force Hospital Commander, Weisbaden Germany; and with the US Department of State at American Embassies in Bonn, Germany and Wellington, New Zealand.
Helen met her future husband, a US Marine Corps Sergeant (E-7) while in Bonn, caught up with him in Wellington, where they were married on the Marine Corps Birthday, with the American Ambassador giving the bride away and providing the reception for the newlyweds.
Two and a half years later, accompanied by her husband and his further assignment to the Marine Corps Depot, San Diego, CA, where she was employed for five years for the Foodmaker Corp., parent company of the Western States Jack-in-the Box restaurant chain.
Upon her husband’s retirement after 20 years in the military, they moved to Santa Barbara, CA where he became a Sergeant with the Marshall’s Office and she worked for the County of Santa Barbara (District Attorney, Administrative and Personnel Offices) from which they both retired after 20 years of service with that entity in November 1986.
Helen’s survivors include paternal and maternal cousins and a whole “passel” of nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, and great grands of the same in CA, MA and NH. Preceding her in death include her much-loved husband, Marion “Russ” Russell, after 38 years of marriage in 2000; her parents, Anna Mary (Hansche) and John E. Pierson in MA in 1935 and 1952 respectively; and all of her siblings: sister, Louise in 1969, brother, Alan in 1988; brother, William in 1992; brother, Larry in 1997, a younger brother, Harold whom she located after a separation of 53 years May 29, 1990 in Arvada, CO and who died 4 years later in June 1994; my “mighty mite” brother, John Jr. in 2002 and my dear sister and friend, Margaret “Peggy” in June 2007.
Preceding her in death also her nine canine children: Snoopy, Peanuts, Toady, Calhoun, Reni, Yogi, Pierre, Sherri and Henny-Penny. A passionate lover of animals, Helen respectfully requests that any contributions in her memory be sent to her favorite charity, the Bosler Humane Society, Inc., PO Box 520, Baldwinville, MA 01436
Welch-Ryce-Haider Funeral Chapel, Santa Barbara, CA and Richard Davis Funeral Home of Plymouth, MA were in charge of all arrangements and burial in the Vine Hills Cemetery in Plymouth, MA in close proximity to her beloved family members. No services will be held.
On-line condolences may be made at richarddavisfuneralhome.com