Helen passed away peacefully with her husband of 39 years, David and daughters Karen and Kim by her side. She was 90.5 years old. Although Helen faced an incredibly courageous battle with Dementia and Kidney Disease, she remained present until the end, verbally expressing her love and gratitude to those who cared for her. 

Diagnosed shortly after moving to a retirement community in Monterey, California. Helen remained active attending ice cream socials, bingo, and lovely dinners with David. 

She relished in visits from family and friends. Although her memory faded, she was always part of the conversation with laughter and timely quips. She loved to play verbally and could actively ‘ear hustle’, repeat and comment on a conversation from another room.

Helen was born to Albert Walton, Sr. and Bessie in Waco, Texas on November 21, 1934.  Helen was the only girl, with five older brothers all who preceded her in death.

Olin Harris, Shelton Harris, Walter Harris, Joseph (Joe) Webster and Albert (Al) Walton, Jr.

Helen and her brothers lost their mother when Helen was 8 years old. This resulted in Helen and her younger brother living with various family members to assist their father with raising his young children after the loss of his wife. 

Helen, her father, and brother Al moved to San Francisco to be near family, both attended the High School of Commerce. Following Helen’s high school graduation, she began working at Fireman’s Fund Insurance in San Francisco, California. 

Helen began dating James Loving, they fell in love and were married on October 29, 1954, in San Francisco, California. 

Within the next two years they welcomed two daughters, Karen Joy and Kim Paulette.

Finding it difficult to make ends meet, James & Helen left the city and relocated to the San Joaquin Valley, where they eventually purchased the 10-acre property on Washington Boulevard.  Two years later, they expanded their family with two more children Kipp Aaron and Kamala JoAnn.

Helen embraced living on the farm, there are photos of her driving the tractor, washing clothes outdoors and remaining calm when Kim who tried to help, had her arm go through the wringer on the washer when she was trying to replicate her mother. Or, when a garter snake presented when she was cleaning the restroom. She instructed Karen to call the neighbor Mr. Navares who came down and wrapped it around his arm and took it outside. 

To cultivate the land for their almond farm, James and Helen planted watermelons.  Once producing, thealmonds were contracted to Blue Diamond Almond Company. Harvesting the almonds was a family chore. During harvest season, the children would accompany their father in the field. Helen would tend to the house and have unique meals for the family to enjoy at the end of the day.

Although Helen’s childhood was unusual due to her family’s migration within Texas and California, Helen was an avid reader gathering ideas to ensure her children had unique holiday experiences. For Easter, she took the family red flyer wagon and decorated it. Christmas was always and adventure with wonderful presents delivered by Santa and a fabulous Christmas Dinner. It was during these holiday’s Helen established many family traditions we still practice with our families in our homes today.  

In 1965, Helen and James designed and built a 3-bedroom, 2 bath ranch style home. That same year, Helen returned to the workforce and was hired by Campbell Soup Company in Modesto, California. Helen maintained that job for several years while studying to become a State Health Inspector.  After passing the test, Helen was assigned to work at Foster Farms Poultry Processing Plant in Livingston. This position afforded her the ability to work nights – 12:00 midnight until 9:00 am. This schedule was perfect for Helen because she was a night owl.  

When St. Jude’s had the monthly hot lunch program, Helen would leave work and volunteer with other parents preparing and serving food to the St. Jude Student Body.  She also volunteered on various committees while developing lifelong friendships with numerous families (Guerrero, Fox, Olson, Brenton to name a few).

Helen supported her children’s social activities, 4-H, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Delhi Presbyterian and St. Jude Churches. These activities established lifelong church family friendships with Fiorini, Jantz, Lilley, and Krupa.

Helen also found time to make a variety of garments including but not limited to sleeping bags for camp or simple dresses for a holiday. She also crocheted blankets for everyone in the family including her grandchildren. She would measure you, ask for your favorite colors and for a birthday or holiday, you received a custom crocheted blanket.

Helen always loved to cook due was her love for food and creativity she became an accomplished chef. This passion led to her publishing recipes in the local newspaper, the Livingston Chronicle.

In 1979, Helen was offered the State Weigh Station Inspector position in Mt. Shasta, California.  She acquired an apartment and worked four days on and four days off. During her off days, she would return to Livingston to facilitate and participate in family activities.

During her shifts, in Mt. Shasta staff would barter and trade to be on the same shift as Helen because she always had a pot of her famous beans, chili, or oxtail stew.  

Helen became a proud first-time grandmother in 1980, she relished and thrived in the role, welcoming and doting on each one. 

In 1981, Helen and James decided to divorce.  Helen retired from the State of California in 1985.

Helen was fortunate to have the love of two men in her life. In 1984, Helen began dating David Lawfer and they were married on December 4, 1986.

David and Helen moved to Groveland California where they built a beautiful home in the woods. They enjoyed the unique albino deer, rabbits, squirrels, and bears from afar, they wrestled with the wildlife who enjoyed the labor of their garden. 

When at home, Helen enjoyed volunteering for a secondhand shop, Helping Hands in downtown Groveland. David said she spent more money than the patrons. They also relished in hosting guests for dinners in Groveland and Carmel. They loved visiting friends and family throughout California.

In retirement, they traveled the world cruising to Alaska, the Caribbean and South Pacific. They always spent their anniversaries in Carmel by the Sea or at their timeshare in Las Vegas.  One special trip was meeting up with daughter Kim who was studying at the time in Australia.

Both Helen and David loved shopping, especially for unique spices and foods and collected approximately 5000 cookbooks throughout their travels in the US and abroad. They loved dining out, acquiring special recipes from the chef and replicating them when they returned home.  In many of the cookbooks Helen would make notes about the recipes they made. 

During their time in Groveland, Helen worked with the local newspaper The Herald and shared unique recipes. 

During late spring in 2011, Helen became a great-grandmother. She was thrilled and blessed with 4 others birthed before her death. Helen’s legacy lives on, with great grandchild #5 due in late September. 

In Spring 2017, Helen and David sold their beautiful home and moved to a chalet in a retirement community in Monterey, California. 

A Jokester – Helen loved playing jokes on family and friends, especially David until the end.

Helen has always loved watching movies, especially those with her favorite movie stars Marlene Dietrich, Rita Hayworth and her cousin, Pete Webster. Most recently, we shared the Home Alone movie series. She would laugh until she cried asking what was wrong with the crooks. 

A devoted, but a strict mother with a loving hand empowering her children to achieve any goals in life and showed them how to live a full life.  She always encouraged them to reach their highest aspirations.  Helen also instilled responsibility and independence.  Quotes – “Stand on your own two feet”, “Be proud of who you are and where you came from” but most importantly, “enjoy your life, it is the only one you’ve got”. 

Helen’s legacy lives on within her children Karen (Eddie), Kim (Gerald), Kipp (Marcy), & Kamala (Art); Grandchildren Nicholas, Nichole (Brooke), Aaron (Karen), Kyle (Kelley), Kyron, & Kayla (Ravi); Greatgrandchildren Davian, Delaney, Kallan, Kade, & Baby Bear (due 9/2025). Her loving and faithful niece Pam (Larry) and cousins Charles and India whom she loved video chatting with, in addition to a host of relatives near and far and her caregiver and companion Christy.