Helen Rose Wiggin Spears

Helen was 12 years old when the family moved to the Ozarks. She attended the Wann country school until her eighth year then transfered to Southwest City Schools along with her brothers and sisters. During her junior year in highschool, Helen stayed with the Milburn family and attended school in Gravette, Ar. At the age of 16 she traveled to Kansas City, worked there a few weeks, then on to Washington State to be near her brother Verne and to stay with her grandparent Williams in Shelton. She completed her senior year and graduated in Irene S. Reed High school in Shelton, WA.

Helen married Robert Logan Spears 25 Feb 1950, in Shelton, WA. Bob was born in Hoquiam, WA on 5 Sep 1930. His parents were Logan and Eva Thomas Spears. When Bob was 8 years old his folks divorced. In Bob's late teens he went to live with his mother near Malone, WA., where he and Helen met. Bob and Helen made their home in Elma, WA until 1952 when Bob was inducted in the Army which allowed them the opportunity to travel across the country and spend some time in Augusta, Georgia, and in Washington, DC. where he was trained and served in the Military Police. Later Bob spent 18 months in Korea where he was assigned to communications. After the service, Bob and Helen moved back to live in Elma, WA for 16 years, owned and operated a chicken ranch, selling eggs to the local markets. They sold the farm in 1966, and moved to Olympia where Helen continued to work for the state and Bob was a commercial fisherman for several years, fishing out of Westport, WA and along the Pacific Coast.

Helen pursued a career in Accounting and Business Management. After receiving her Bachelor's degree at the age of 43, she obtained a position as an Assistant Director of the Commission for the Blind, a WA state Agency. Later became a Securities Analyst with the Securities Division, Dept of Licenses. Here she completed the financial audits in the investigation of security fraud cases--generating all the computer reports that would ultimately lead to a conviction of the perpretrator.

Helen was a member of Toastmasters for 13 years. She served as Club Educ Vice President and President, was voted best Area Governor of the year, and was District Governor for a Distinguished District in 1979-1980. She also became extremely involved in many church activities at the Emmanuel Baptist church in Olympia, WA.

Part of her church activities included involvement with Pioneer Girls. She was a club leader, a camp counselor and a district advisor--conducting workshops in other churches on how to build a Pioneer Girl club program.

Among her numerous activities, Helen also served as Women's Ministries Coordinator and helped develop the Women's Ministries at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Olympia. She taught Bible studies to a group of ladies for 5 years. She has been keynote speaker on many occasions, Seminary Speaker, Conference workshop leader, and conducts workshops on various topics. Helen has taken several courses from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, Portland, OR, through their video program.

Helen and Bob have been much occupied with three lovely grandchildren in Olympia, WA. They have spent lots of time traveling around the country in their motorhome, taking their grandchildren with them on many trips. At the age pf 57, Helen retired from full-time employment on 30 Jun 1989, after more than 30 years of state service, and continued to work part-time for 4 years.

As of June 1993-Bob and Helen started a new life traveling full-time in their 35' Bounder Motorhome. They have changed their residency to Alaska-using George and Arlene's address. Helen has written her first book MARRIED TO MY HUSBAND, was published June 1996 by Joy Publishing, and promotes the book as they travel across the country. One project that keeps Helen busy is working on family history. She has categorized photos into family photo albums and is writing the family history story with captions for each photo for the Wiggin, Williams, Spears, and Thomas families, besides for her own family.

To Bob and Helen were born three boys. Raymond Lee died just before his 2nd birthday (in December 1956), Robert Leslie (Bobby) and Randy Lane.

Email Helen hspears@one800.net Randy rlspears@yahoo.com Randy's ICQ #12551739

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