HELEN MARY ROOZEN

Longtime Mount Vernon resident Helen Mary Roozen died peacefully on Friday, January 9, surrounded by family members. She was 93 years of age.

Helen was born April 12, 1921, in Haarlem, the Netherlands, into a devout Catholic family and was the second of nine children. Helen attended the Maria Catholic Girls School grades 1-6 and five years MMS at the Sancta Maria Private Girls School. She graduated at age 17 with the equivalent of a junior college degree. Helen greatly enjoyed school and took piano lessons for many years. She was an accomplished student at math and spoke five languages: Dutch, French, English, Latin and German.

Upon graduation from Sancta Maria School, Helen chose to continue her education, earning degrees in shorthand and typing, whereupon she worked at a tax office for 3 years before leaving her job to help at home when her mother became ill.

Helen met her husband William at dancing lessons in 1941, and it changed her life forever. Together with family members, sailing, playing tennis and ice skating, they were able to endure difficult times under the occupation through the years of World War II.

Helen married William Roozen November 18,1947, in St. Bavo Cathedral, Haarlem. A few days later they immigrated to the United States via the Nieuw Amsterdam ocean liner for 6 days to New York and then 8 days by train to the Skagit Valley.

Helen and her husband William were lifelong business partners in the building of Washington Bulb Company. They were blessed with 55 years of marriage during which they raised 10 children.

For Helen and William their faith was always first and foremost in their lives. Mom built her life with Dad as a married couple on their deep faith, which Helen often referred to as a gift and great support. She was a life-long member of Immaculate Conception Parish and all 10 children attended Immaculate Conception Regional School, where she enjoyed helping with school events in which her children participated.

Helen was a founding member of Saint Margaret’s Guild and in 1999 was honored with the outstanding volunteer of the year for her work with The Patty Hulbert Children’s Hospital Guild Association. She was an enthusiastic supporter of many organizations and causes, especially the Skagit Symphony and Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland. Her generosity helped make possible the exterior renovation of the U of W KAO sorority in 1978 and the construction of the Saint Joseph Center.

Whether Helen and Bill were hosting local and state political fundraisers in their home, entertaining relatives and customers from Holland, or friends who dropped in to visit, Helen was always known for her gracious and kind hospitality with coffee, tea and Dutch cookies on hand at all times. She was the consummate hostess; one more guest at the dinner table was never an inconvenience.

Every holiday in the Roozen home included a neighbor or widow who had no family in this country to celebrate with. Helen had a friendly and positive personality exhibiting a natural ability to instantly put people at ease and say something to make a person feel good about themselves. She was a volunteer at Mira Vista Nursing Home for many years, bringing in cakes to celebrate the monthly birthdays. She also volunteered at Skagit Valley Hospital.

Along with her husband William, she enjoyed being at home with her birds, playing pinochle with the family, listening to classical music, driving to Seattle for 20 years with friends to attend the opera and traveling. One of her fondest memories was returning to Holland in 1958, 11 years after immigrating, to see their families again.

They took many trips, but the best times were reunions with family in the Netherlands. Another highlight in later years, and their last trip together, was the Pilgrimage to Rome for the 2000 Jubilee year. Without a doubt, Helen’s greatest pleasures in her long life were her marriage, her family and her business partnership with her husband and five sons, where she was responsible for invoices, bills and payroll for many years.

Up until age 87 she signed payroll checks for the business, something she loved doing and mastered with efficiency. The extended Roozen family will forever remember “Our Mom” as the strongest woman we have ever known, whose capacity for resilience, perseverance, work ethic, organization, humor, and forgiveness were remarkable. She was an extraordinary person and an example to her family in the life she lived and the dignity with which she lived it — up until her last breath. She will be deeply missed by all of us.

The family offers a heartfelt thanks to her kind and caring caregivers at Mountain Glenn Assisted Living, who became a huge part of her life these past 5 years and assisted the family so lovingly through her death. Additionally we thank Jesse and Sue, her nighttime caregivers; Jeanne, who assisted the family during the days; and the staff of Hospice Northwest.

Helen was preceded in death by her daughter Bernadette Roozen Miller in 1997, and husband William in 2002.

She is survived by nine of her 10 children and their families: Lisette Roozen Mast (Michael), John Roozen, Madeleine Roozen Cook (Kelly), Leo Roozen (Michele), Debra Roozen Scott (Jeffrey), William Roozen (Susie), Richard Roozen (Jaynie), Maria Roozen Roach (Gerald), Michael Roozen (Anita), 36 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Helen is also survived by her brother Ed and younger sisters Anneke and Adrie in The Netherlands.

The Rosary will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, January 17, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church preceding the Funeral Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. Internment will follow at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery. All are invited to join the family at the La Conner Elementary School, 305 Sixth Street for a reception.

Remembrances in Helen’s name can be made to: The Bernadette Roozen Memorial Scholarship, PO Box 408, Burlington, WA 98233; Immaculate Conception Regional School or Parish, 1321 E. Division Street, Mount Vernon, WA 98274; Skagit Symphony, P.O. Box 1302, Mount Vernon, WA 98273; Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland, 414 Snoqualmie Street, Mount Vernon, WA 98273.