Helen K. Doherty

Helen Annette K. Doherty Our beloved mom, grandma, and great grandma, Helen Doherty, passed into the presence of her Lord and loved ones in heaven on Christmas Day 2022. She was 99 years old. Helen entered the world July 16, 1923, in Pendleton, Oregon, the first daughter of Grover and Nettie Keller. She joined her brother Leonard, and her sister Maxine was born 6 years later. Helen graduated from Pendleton High School in 1941 and left home to attend Business College in Portland, Oregon. She returned to Pendleton and worked for the government for several years. In April 1949, a young man came into the real estate office where she was working at the time and was instantly smitten. Kenneth R. Doherty and Helen were married 6 months later and spent 57 very happy years together before he passed away in 2006. Ken and Helen purchased an insurance agency, Ken Doherty Insurance in Pendleton, where they worked side by side for several years. The agency grew and merged with several other agencies over the years to become Wheatland Insurance, which currently operates 13 offices throughout Eastern Oregon. Helen was a wonderful homemaker and mother to her two daughters, Kathleen Sue and Debra Anne. When her girls were in school, she was active in PTA and served many years as room mother, Bluebird leader, and 4-H club leader. Helen was president of the Petal Pushers Garden Club, and loved to grow beautiful flowers in her immaculate garden. The whole family was very active in the Methodist Church where she taught Sunday School for many years and was president of United Methodist Women. She served on every imaginable church committee and organized countless rummage sales, Lenten luncheons, and wedding receptions. Ken and Helen were members of the Pendleton Country Club where they enjoyed golfing with friends. They also loved to travel, from countless trips to the Oregon Coast with their young family to annual month-long stays in their Hawaii condo where they golfed and enjoyed new and old friends. Over the years they also traveled to Canada, the Bahamas, and many of the States. They were frequent visitors to Debbie and Kathy’s homes, and attended as many of their granddaughters’ sporting events and musical and drama performances as possible. Helen’s final chapter began in March 2006 when she and Ken moved to Friendsview Retirement Community in Newberg, Oregon, to be closer to family. When Ken passed away unexpectedly two weeks after the move, her faith, strength, and love of family carried her through. Always a warm and social person with the gift of gab, she made many new friends. She loved to watch most any sport and hosted many family Oregon Duck football and basketball watch parties. She enjoyed frequent visits and calls from her devoted daughters, Kathy and Debbie, and their husbands, Allen Ruggles and Mike Connell, as well as her adoring granddaughters, Emily (Gessisa Saketa) Ruggles, Carey (Garrett Conn) Connell, Katie Ruggles (Wayne) Brisbane, Kelsey Connell (Matt) Greco, and Jenny Ruggles (TJ) Marquardt. She is also survived by her cherished great grandchildren, Charles and Benjamin Brisbane, Rowan and Casey Conn, and Sloane Marquardt.

Helen K. Doherty

July 16, 1923 - December 25, 2022