Obituary of Helen Ilene Wittenberg

Helen will be deeply missed by her family and friends. She will be remembered for her kind and loving spirit. Helen was born in Salem, Oregon, the fourth child of Albert Dewey and Meryl (Sischo) Jacobson. The family moved to Portland when Helen was 10 years old. She earned a teaching degree from Oregon State University, where she was a member of Delta, Delta, Delta. She subsequently taught high school for several years. Helen met Bill (William) Wittenberg in the fall of 1956. They were married May 11, 1957 and had 61 happy years together. Family was most important to Helen. She loved being mom to her four children. When she wasn’t driving them to swimming, dance and piano lessons, Camp Fire Girls, Boy Scouts, and church youth groups, she expressed her artistic side through knitting, painting, or stitching. When her grandchildren came along, she poured the same love into them, making quilt after handmade quilt, cuddling and reading stories. She did genealogy research for many years and loved visiting places related to family history. She enjoyed traveling, puzzles, card games, and spending time at the beach. She was a faithful church member, a Bible Study Fellowship leader, enjoyed playing in the bell choir, and served as a deacon for many years. Helen is survived by her husband Bill; her children, Barbara Parham, Carolyn (Doug) Johnson, Elizabeth (Ron) Hayward, and Bruce (Molly) Wittenberg; 11 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 29, 2018 at 11:00 am at First Presbyterian Church, 390 NE 2nd St., McMinnville, OR 97128. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or Willamette Valley Cancer Foundation.