Helen Hubbard

Helen Katherine Hubbard, 83, passed away at her home on November 8th, 2022.

Helen was born in Timberlake, South Dakota, the youngest daughter of 18 children born to George and Mary Goldade. They were poor and did what they had to do to survive (George was a bootlegger for many years) but those hard times forged deep and unbreakable bonds between the siblings, and they were all close to each other (mostly!) throughout their lives.

Helen moved out to California when she was 18. There she met and married Thomas Clark Hubbard in 1958. During the first years of their marriage Helen had 2 daughters; Lisa was born in 1959 and Pamela in 1963. She also completed High School as an adult and proudly received her Diploma in 1967 with her family present. Tom and Helen moved from Bakersfield to Santa Rosa in 1968 and spent the rest of their lives in their Rincon Valley home. Helen pressed clothes in a dry-cleaning plant for over 40 years, working at several establishments in Santa Rosa until her retirement. She also completed a course in Interior Design, putting her own touches on her Santa Rosa home and later on her second home in Ocean Shores WA. She was an avid collector of cool things and hoped to open an antique store someday. That never happened, but she was a crafter and a painter and even a jewelry maker!

Helen loved life!!!! She had many friends and knew how to have fun. She loved to travel and had several grand adventures, both abroad and in the states. She danced and sang and played guitar. She enjoyed a good cup of coffee with her friends after church. She was a great Mother and a really excellent Grandmother as well. When she became a Great-Grandmother she was over the moon with pride and love.

Helen was always helping out people in need. She was always available and ready to help someone, no matter what the situation required. She took care of elderly neighbors, colleagues, relatives that needed some support, little kids and ANIMALS! SO MANY ANIMALS!!!

Helen was a devout Catholic and was a proud member of Holy Spirit Parish for over 50 years. Again, she was a helper, doing anything needed to support her beloved church. Among other things she was a Eucharistic Minister, taking Holy Communion to the homebound, active in the Holy Spirit Women’s Club where she was once chosen as Woman of the Year, and she volunteered with the St. Vincent de Paul Society, feeding the hungry of her community. When her health forced her to back away from physical church duties she continued with her other mission—to let anyone that needed to know to not be afraid of the end of life, that she had been there, and it was wonderful! People sought her out for her honesty and unyielding support—she was always able to find a way to reach out to those who were having a hard time finding their path.

Helen made a difference in the lives of probably thousands of people. We will never forget her, and we rejoice that she is free from pain and suffering now.

Helen was predeceased in death by her husband Tom in 2014, by her parents and 15 of her siblings. She is survived by daughters Lisa Flournoy (Michael), Pamela Knutson (Brian), granddaughters Ami Flournoy (John Alexander), Annie Flournoy (Sean Kelley), and Michelle Knutson (Tyler Shatto), and great grandson Lucas Cooper Alexander. She is also survived by her sister Carolyne Jangula, brother James Goldade

(Charlene), sisters-in-law Delores Goldade and Mavis Goldade, and countless nieces and nephews who adored their Auntie Helen.

Services will be held Monday, November 28th at 11 am at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 1244 St. Francis Rd. in Santa Rosa. The rosary will begin at 10:45. A viewing will be held Monday, November 21st between 11-2 at Lafferty & Smith Colonial Chapel, 4321 Sonoma Hwy in Santa Rosa. Helen will be laid to rest at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Santa Rosa. Donations in Helen’s name may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Santa Rosa. Or adopt a pet! She would love that too.

Helen always insisted that we should not be sad at her passing, but that we should celebrate! “You have to have fun,” she would say. “You have to laugh!”

.

No Service

Monday, November 21, 2022

11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Lafferty & Smith Colonial Chapel

Funeral Mass

Monday, November 28, 2022

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Holy Spirit Catholic Church

Reception at Holy Spirit to follow