Obituary for Helen Grigsby
Helen Vera Weber Grigsby, 97, was a resident of Longview, WA 1948-2018, then because of health issues, moved to Oak Harbor to live with her eldest son, Kenneth. In 2019 she moved to Homeplace Special Care in Oak Harbor where she passed away on April 21, 2021.
Helen was born Nov. 29, 1923 in Leigh, Nebraska, the youngest of six children. She was raised on a farm, starting school in District 20, and then Wilson Jr. High and High School in Leigh. To attend high school, Helen had to board in a home in Leigh during the week. Skipping two grades, Helen graduated at the age of 15. She attended teacher’s college for one summer, before teaching in a one-room schoolhouse. After Pearl Harbor, Helen left teaching and got a job in Ogden, Utah, working in the war industry. Taking the train from Nebraska to Utah, she was asked to help two young men from Arkansas, traveling west to work in the war industry. One of the men was Clayton Eugene Grigsby. After a whirlwind courtship, they were married Nov. 11, 1943 by a Lutheran minister in Ogden, Utah. Because Helen was pregnant, Helen and Clayton moved to Nebraska to be near her family and Clayton got a job at a war plant in Fremont, Nebraska. After the war ended, they moved to Mt. Pine, Arkansas, to be close to Clayton’s family. In Arkansas, they had their second son, Gene.
Helen’s husband “Whid”, as his family called him, went to work for a lumber company, making 3 cents and then 5 cents an hour. He asked for a raise, but they said no. Whid was mad, dropped his tools and stormed out. The next day, still mad, Whid sent Helen to get his tools. Both of them had relatives in the Portland, Oregon and Longview, Washington areas, so Whid went west to Portland and got a job with Weyerhaeuser Timber Co., making twice what he made in Arkansas. Helen followed, going first with two small children driving to Nebraska. Because of flooding on the lower Columbia River, Helen and her father checked with the Red Cross to be sure it was safe. Then she drove with the boys to Longview. In 1950 Helen and Whid became members of the Longview Trinity Lutheran Church. In 1966, their third son, John, was born. For work Helen became employed as a mill worker for Longview Fibre Co. where she worked from 1948 until her retirement in 1985.
Through the retirement years, both Helen and Whid became active in retirement groups and Helen with church women groups. Both Helen and Whid joined the Southwest Washington Mineralogical Society, where they served active roles not only as “Rock Hounds” but also officers.
Helen was preceded in death by her husband, “Whid” Clayton Eugene Grigsby, in February 1987. She is survived by her three sons, Kenneth Grigsby of Oak Harbor, Gene Grigsby (Kathy) of Yakima, and John Grigsby (Cida) of Jewell Ridge, Virginia; grandchildren Annette Carson (Allen), of Edmond, Oklahoma, James of Yakima, Garrett of Longview, Nicole Miller (Mike) of Longview and Cassandra and Alicia Grigsby of Longview; and great-grandchildren, Tanner & Nolan Grigsby (Gene) of Yakima, Zachary Crews (Steve) of Yakima, and Katie Crews (Steve) of Warner Robins of Georgia, Annabelle Grigsby of Longview, and Olivia Miller (Mike) of Longview; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held Monday, April 26, 2021 1:00pm, at Oak Harbor Lutheran Church. An entombment service will be held Tuesday, April 27, 2021, 1 PM, at Longview Memorial Cemetery. The family suggests memorials to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Helen was born Nov. 29, 1923 in Leigh, Nebraska, the youngest of six children. She was raised on a farm, starting school in District 20, and then Wilson Jr. High and High School in Leigh. To attend high school, Helen had to board in a home in Leigh during the week. Skipping two grades, Helen graduated at the age of 15. She attended teacher’s college for one summer, before teaching in a one-room schoolhouse. After Pearl Harbor, Helen left teaching and got a job in Ogden, Utah, working in the war industry. Taking the train from Nebraska to Utah, she was asked to help two young men from Arkansas, traveling west to work in the war industry. One of the men was Clayton Eugene Grigsby. After a whirlwind courtship, they were married Nov. 11, 1943 by a Lutheran minister in Ogden, Utah. Because Helen was pregnant, Helen and Clayton moved to Nebraska to be near her family and Clayton got a job at a war plant in Fremont, Nebraska. After the war ended, they moved to Mt. Pine, Arkansas, to be close to Clayton’s family. In Arkansas, they had their second son, Gene.
Helen’s husband “Whid”, as his family called him, went to work for a lumber company, making 3 cents and then 5 cents an hour. He asked for a raise, but they said no. Whid was mad, dropped his tools and stormed out. The next day, still mad, Whid sent Helen to get his tools. Both of them had relatives in the Portland, Oregon and Longview, Washington areas, so Whid went west to Portland and got a job with Weyerhaeuser Timber Co., making twice what he made in Arkansas. Helen followed, going first with two small children driving to Nebraska. Because of flooding on the lower Columbia River, Helen and her father checked with the Red Cross to be sure it was safe. Then she drove with the boys to Longview. In 1950 Helen and Whid became members of the Longview Trinity Lutheran Church. In 1966, their third son, John, was born. For work Helen became employed as a mill worker for Longview Fibre Co. where she worked from 1948 until her retirement in 1985.
Through the retirement years, both Helen and Whid became active in retirement groups and Helen with church women groups. Both Helen and Whid joined the Southwest Washington Mineralogical Society, where they served active roles not only as “Rock Hounds” but also officers.
Helen was preceded in death by her husband, “Whid” Clayton Eugene Grigsby, in February 1987. She is survived by her three sons, Kenneth Grigsby of Oak Harbor, Gene Grigsby (Kathy) of Yakima, and John Grigsby (Cida) of Jewell Ridge, Virginia; grandchildren Annette Carson (Allen), of Edmond, Oklahoma, James of Yakima, Garrett of Longview, Nicole Miller (Mike) of Longview and Cassandra and Alicia Grigsby of Longview; and great-grandchildren, Tanner & Nolan Grigsby (Gene) of Yakima, Zachary Crews (Steve) of Yakima, and Katie Crews (Steve) of Warner Robins of Georgia, Annabelle Grigsby of Longview, and Olivia Miller (Mike) of Longview; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held Monday, April 26, 2021 1:00pm, at Oak Harbor Lutheran Church. An entombment service will be held Tuesday, April 27, 2021, 1 PM, at Longview Memorial Cemetery. The family suggests memorials to the Alzheimer’s Association.