Helen Marie (Walrath) Head, 73

It is with profound sadness in our hearts that we announce the passing of our mother, 73 year old Helen Marie (Walrath) Head, of Rathdrum, Idaho, who died at her home on April 13, 2021. Helen was one of 10 children born to Richard and Opal Walrath of Gainesville, Mo., on Nov. 9, 1947. She leaves behind six surviving siblings: Betty, John, Pauline, Ethel, Frances and William.

Helen was a daddy’s girl and some of her fondest childhood memories are of being together with her father fishing, frogging and coon hunting. As a girl Helen was active in 4-H, learning many skills she would use later in life.

Her sister, Frances, told the story of the time Helen had to make a cake for 4-H. The fact that she didn’t have all the ingredients she needed didn’t stop her, she just added a little bit of this and a little bit of that. When she decided that the cake needed lard, she accidentally dropped the lard on the kitchen floor. That wasn’t a problem though, because she just scooped the lard up off the floor and added it to the cake mix- problem solved! Frances said that that cake turned out to be the worst cake ever made, so they had to throw it away and her mom ended up buying a box cake mix for Helen to fix up for 4-H.

When Helen was 14 years old she moved with her brother, John, and his wife, Shirley, to California. Eventually Helen met a handsome guy named Donald Head, who was smitten with her and she with him and he asked her to marry him. Donald didn’t come alone though, he brought five little children with him. When someone asked Helen, “Are you sure you want to marry this man with five children?” Her reply was, “Yes, it beats bucking hay!” So on Oct. 5, 1963, Helen married Donald, the love of her life and life-long partner. On that day Helen became both wife and mother at the same time. On Oct. 3, 1964, almost a year to the day, Helen gave birth to her daughter, Linda, who became her sixth child.

Together, she and Donald and their six children fished, camped and hunted all over Northern California until 1975; they heard the call of the wilds, so they loaded up their family–lock, stock, and barrel– and moved to Northern Idaho, where they settled in the town of Rathdrum. There they fished and camped and hunted all over Northern Idaho and the surrounding areas. Helen loved her family tremendously, but when Donald, her life partner, died after 45 years of marriage on June 13, 2009, she was heartbroken and no longer complete.

Helen leaves behind a very large family which includes her three daughters: Raylene (Jim) Dean of Post Falls, Idaho, Betty (Mike) Jones of Corning, Calif. and Linda (Ted) Jones of Yuba City, Calif.; plus three sons: Donald (Cindy) Head Jr. of Spokane, Wash., Robby (Rose) Head of Rathdrum and Bobby (Tracy) Head also of Rathdrum. Helen also leaves behind 14 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren and a set of twins on the way. She also leaves behind her constant companion, her beloved cat, Samantha.

Helen’s large family will no longer feel complete without her and we will be missing her everyday until we are all reunited again. It was Helen’s wish to be cremated and have her ashes placed with those of her husband Donald’s ashes. Her wishes are being carried out under the direction of English Funeral and Crematory of Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho. So after almost 12 years our mother Helen and our father Donald will be reunited again. We imagine when they are reunited again it will go something like this. Dad will say “Wahine, what took you so long?” Then mom will probably say something back to him like “ I’m here now so quit your gripping, oh you are such an ash!”

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Helen and Samantha’s name to the local animal shelter.