Helen Lamey (born Seeley)
Personal
Gender: Female
Date of Birth: September 5, 1923
Date of Death: October 28, 2016
Birth Place: Havre, MT
Death Place: Glendive, MT
Helen Lamey, age 93, formerly of Glasgow, Montana, Havre, Montana, and Mesa, Arizona, passed away Friday, Oct. 28, 2016, the Eastern Montana Veterans Home in Glendive, Montana.
A private family graveside service will be held at a later date in Havre. Silha Funeral Home of Glendive has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Helen was born Sept. 5, 1923, in Havre, Montana, a daughter of Chester and Jean (Spence) Seeley. She was raised and educated in Havre, graduating from Havre High School with the class of 1941. After her graduation Helen began working for the local bank as a teller for a short time before enlisting in the WAVES of the U.S. Navy during World War II. She proudly served her country from 1943 until her honorable discharge in 1945. Helen was discharged in Seattle, Washington, and shortly after her high school sweetheart, Walter Lamey (who had also been honorably discharged, from the U.S. Army, a month prior), hopped on a train and met her there. After nearly three years apart the couple decided to get married while in Seattle Dec. 11, 1945, and they had been married for almost 59 years when Walter passed away in 2004.
Following their marriage, the couple returned home to Havre, where Walter began a lifelong career with the railroad and Helen stayed busy raising their four children. Once the children were a little older, she decided to further her education and began taking classes at the Northern Montana College in Havre. She received her bachelor’s degree in education and began teaching the sixth grade at the Havre Public Schools. Helen had taught for 18 years before retiring in 1976.
After they had both retired, Helen and Walter became “snowbirds,” spending the winters at their home in Mesa, Arizona, and later spending the summers at their home in Lakeside, Montana, near Flathead Lake. Due to Walter’s failing health, they moved to Billings, Montana, for a short time and eventually Walter became a resident at the Eastern Montana Veterans Home in Glendive before his passing. During that time, Helen stayed close to family and moved to Glasgow where she had stayed for about 12 years before moving to the veterans home in June of 2016.
Helen was an excellent knitter and often knitted many blankets and slippers for her family and friends. While in Mesa, she had also learned the art of ceramics and crafted many gifts for everyone as well. She was also an avid reader, a trait that she had passed down to all of her children.
Helen was a very social and likable person, and throughout all her moves and travels she always made numerous lifelong friends. She was always the center of the family and the glue that kept everyone together. Home was never quite the same without her there.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Chester and Jean; her husband, Walter; siblings, Alene, Wilbur, Florence, and Marguerite; and one great-granddaughter, Shelby Molyneaux.
Helen is survived by her son, Patrick (Paula) Lamey of West Palm Beach, Florida, and their daughter, Rebecca; her daughter, Janice (Larry) Mires of Glasgow, Montana, and their children, Jim, Brian and Marjie; her daughter, Gail (John) Molyneaux of Sun City West, Arizona, and their children, Brandy and Ross; her daughter, Mary (Steve) Bolender of Billings, Montana, and their children, Janine and Caitlin; 16 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
If desired, memorials in Helen’s name may be made to the charity of one’s choice.
Published in The Havre Daily News, November 1, 2016
