Helen M. Jewett

Helen M. Jewett, 93, of La Grande, died Aug. 17 at Grande Ronde Hospital.

A memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at Cove Christian Camp.

Helen was born June 22, 1914, to Harold and Thena Mae Moak Fry in Montesano, Wash. Helen spent most of her childhood on a ranch on the Wynooche Rover near Montesano, with a brief time spent in Alberta, Canada. She attended a one-room school, and graduated high school in Montesano. She attended Eugene Bible College (now called Northwest Christian College) in Eugene.

She and her husband, Joe, ministered during college at the Christian Church in Florence. They traveled to Enid, Okla., for Joe's graduate studies where their daughter, Joanne was born. Two years later, their twins, Doris and Robert, were born. Back in Oregon, they began a five-year ministry at Milton-Freewater Christian Church on Pearl Harbor Day.

In 1946 they moved Heppner and ministered for two years at the Christian Church. In 1948, the family moved to Baker, where they ministered for 21 years at the Baker First Christian Church. Their final years of ministry before retirement were at the Enterprise Christian Church.

Helen was active in the church, teaching Bible classes, working as a church secretary, and teaching and directing youth camps. She was the main cook at Cove Christian Camp for many years. Helen and Joe were considered one of the driving forces for Cove Christian Camp.

During retirement, Helen managed Red's Horse Ranch for a summer with her husband then sent two summers at Minam Lodge. Helen loved being in the mountains, and was able to spend some of that time with her grandsons. Helen and Joe spent winters in Yuma, Ariz., where they became ministers to the senior citizens in the Yuma Christian Church.

Survivors include her children and their spouses, Joanne and Richard Sweet of La Grande, Robert and Joyce Jewett of Chehalis, Wash., and Doris and Jerry Lundmark of Enterprise; many grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; siblings, Violet Dusbabek of Aberdeen, Wash., Dorothy Bolton of Mountain View, Calif., Arthur Fry of Morton, Wash., and Grant Fry of Aberdeen, Wash.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband of almost 70 years in 2005; grandsons, Robby Jewett and Andrew Howard; a granddaughter, Bethel Gomez; and bothers, Arnold Fry and Oliver Fry.

Memorial contributions may be made to Cove Christian Camp in care of Loveland Funeral Chapel, 1508 Fourth St., La Grande 97850.