The Wahkiakum County Eagle-December 3, 2009 Hellen L. Mace Hellen Lavinia Mace, 86 of Cathlamet, Washington passed away on December 1, 2009 at Community Hospice in Longview. She had been a resident of Cathlamet for 55 years. Hellen was born in Sunnyside, Utah to Marion Nathaniel Mecham and Mabel Lavinia Olson. She spent the first 11 years of her life in Utah living in Castle Gate, Myton, Ballard and living along the Duchesne River. Hellen was raised by kind, loving and gentle parents. They instilled in her the love of family and friends which her children and grandchildren would admire and desire to emulate. Hellen grew up on a farm learning to ride a horse at a young age, tend to the cattle, and all things related to ranching and farming in the 1920s and 30s. When her parents moved to Oregon in the 1930s they followed the crops, like others in that day who worked at what they could to keep together their families and build a good life after the great depression. Her family finally settled in Kelso, Ore. where her parents bought a 10 acre farm. During the war years Hellen obtained employment in Troutdale at the aluminum plant working for a short time in the pot room and on the railroad surrounding the plant. Later on she went to work at the Portland Ship Yards till the war ended. The family farm in Kelso, Ore. is where Hellen met the love of her life Glenn Mace. It was 1945 and he was recently home from active duty in the Coast Guard and WWll. Glenn was quite taken with this beautiful woman sitting in the middle of the farm's strawberry patch. After a courtship of a year they married in the LDS chapel on 30th and Harrison in Portland, Oregon in 1947. They started their family while living in Kelso and moved to Brightwood a few years later with Glenn’s job. In 1954 Glenn was transferred by Crown Zellerbach to Cathlamet. They sold their home in Brightwood and moved to Puget Island where she and Glenn raised their seven children. In 1965 they bought Bacon’s hamburger stand and expanded the business. Glenn continued to work in the woods and Hellen ran the business. Hellen worked filling in a shift as well as managing the business side of the drive-inn. It was not until 2007 that she finally and completely retired at the age of 84. She often said, “The drive-inn gives me someplace to go and a chance to see and talk with my friends and other people who stop by. She loved to work in her yard and at the age of 86 you could still find her outside puttering in good weather. She loved sewing, working on family history, and baby-sitting her grand and great-grandchildren. She was an amazing cook and baker. Hellen was a devoted, tender and loving mother and grandmother and her family will miss her terribly. Her example of sacrifice and service to her family is a great part of her legacy. She is survived by one daughter, Sherrolin Powell (Jack) of Portland, Ore., four sons: Larry Mace (Jill) of Nephi, Utah, Randy Mace (Brenda) of Davenport, Kelly Mace (Jean) of Afton, Wyo., and Shawn Mace (Sheila) of Cathlamet; one sister, Vera Cowing of Redmond, Ore., three sisters-in-law, Helen Mecham of Gresham and Alice Mecham of Redding, Calif., Buelah Fischer of Vacaville, Calif. She leaves behind 25 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. Hellen was preceded in death by her husband Glenn Mace; sons Timothy Mace and Terry Mace; a granddaughter Summer Dawn Mace; brothers Leland and Ershel Mecham; and sisters Mabel Sarann Mecham and Ardella Jones. Memorial contributions may be made in Hellen Mace’s name to Cathlamet First Aid Division, P.O. Box 142, Cathlamet, WA 98612 or Community Hospice, P.O. Box 2068, Longview, WA 98632. Hellen was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A funeral service to honor her life will be held in the Cathlamet Branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Messinger Hill at11 a.m., Saturday. Viewing for family and friends will take place Friday, from 5-7 PM at Dowling Chapel, and Saturday from 10-10:45 AM prior to the service at the church. Dowling Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Hellen Lavinia Mecham Mace Unknown burial 1923-1 Dec 2009 (As compiled by the Wahkiakum County Historical Society in December 2009.)