Helen Zenkner

Helen passed away August 12, 2021, surrounded by her children. She was born in Vancouver, Canada, and adopted by her loving parents Fritz and Johanna Jensen (now deceased), in Bremerton, Washington. Helen graduated from South Kitsap High School, Port Orchard, WA, in 1949, and from Pacific Lutheran College in 1952, where she received her BE in education in two years. After marrying Lawrence Hauge in 1952, they had three children: Jan, Steven and David. In 1978 she married Claude “Skip” Zenkner. Skip had four children: Chris, Kirk, Grant and Bret. Combining the two families, Helen had seven children, twenty one grandchildren and over a dozen great grandchildren. All children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were the most important part of her life. She loved them dearly and prayed for them every night. Helen taught and produced and directed plays at Pioneer Middle School in Steilacoom, WA, for over twenty years. She loved singing and acting. She was a member of the Christ Lutheran Church in Lakewood, WA, where she sang in the choir and wrote and directed Lenten dramas. She also acted in many plays in local theatre. After retiring to Sun City, Arizona with Skip, Helen remained very active. They were members of Palmbrook Country Club where Helen played golf, helped with plays and programs, and directed a 100- Year Vintage Clothing Show for five years. She was a member of American Lutheran Church in Sun City, and sang in the choir and played in the Bell Choir there. She was a member of Phi Beta, a national drama fraternity, and WAA, a national women’s organization. In her three years in assisted living, Helen made use of her time on the computer to bless friends and family with encouraging Facebook comments, writing poetry books, and creating HUNDREDS of homemade cards for every occasion. Helen was preceded in death by her beloved husband Skip. He was the love of her life and they spent 38 wonderful years together. That relationship, and her loss of Skip, inspired Helen to take up poetry writing, and one of her poems, titled Letting Go, was selected for publication in the 2016 edition of Eber & Wein Publishing’s Best Poets of 2016. We will miss her indomitable spirit and endless enthusiasm. A memorial service for Helen will be held on Saturday October 2nd at 1pm at Christ Lutheran Church in Lakewood, WA.