Barbara Helmer (Gay)

Barbara Ann (Gay-McQuaw) Helmer, June 24, 1937 - September 14, 2012.Born in Portland, Oregon to Helen Cloud and Milo Gay.Â Barbara was predeceased by her mother and stepfather, Helen and Maynard McQuaw Sr.Barbara isÂ survived by daughter Elizabeth Ann (Helmer) Waite and her husband (Anthony) of Woodburn and son Douglas Craig Helmer and his wife (Danielle Van Dissel) of Portland.Grandchildren include: David Velasco, Richelle Biancone, Nicholas Waite, and Shawn Waite; step-grandsons Dereck Waite and Joshua Hermans; and many other "honorary" grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Barbara was formerly married to Richard Craig Helmer now of Sunriver. As the eldest of 6, she will be sorely missed by her brothers and sisters Susan Mills (Vancouver), Maynard McQuaw Jr. (Gresham), Jennie Glidden, Nancy Darlow, and James McQuaw (Portland), as well as a multitude of cousins and dear friends. She was ageless in temperament, and was on equal footing with old and young alike.Â After graduating from Franklin High School at age 16, she worked for the Multnomah County Library.Â For a time she attended Marylhurst University and Lewis & Clark College. She also enjoyed spending time at Reed College, where one of her grandchildren attended college. She worked for various businesses in California including the Bank of California and Gallo Wines. Barbara retired from Qwest (Dex publishing). Her primary love was editing and otherwise working with words, including translating published material from English to French.Â As a church soloist for many years, she had a love of music and enjoyed playing the piano, violin.Â With a gift for languages and a beautiful soprano voice, Barbara also performed over the years with the Portland Opera Association, plays such as Brigadoon, local school productions and singing Gaelic mouth music. She was a night owl, and would spend her nights reading books or driving with her grandchildren. Barbara's maiden name was "Gay," but friends and family would sometimes inflect it as "Go," such was her love for travel. In the early 1970s, she lived in Copenhagen with her two children, and she also visited Scotland, Iceland, Mexico, Canada, and many states besides.Â She is a former member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Portland and had been a member of the CWA union. Barbara served as President of the Ladies Auxiliary Portland Home Builders Association, and was Chief Daughter of White Heather Lodge 93 Daughters of Scotia, promoting all things Scottish, which was her heritage. She enjoyed Scottish dance and the Highland Games, Burns Night and sharing the richness and vitality of Scottish heritage with her extensive group of family and friends. She had a wonderful variety of interests. To say she will be missed is a dramatic understatement.Celebration of Lifecasual

Tributes

Barbara Helmer (Gay)

June 24, 1937 - September 14, 2012