Helen Yahner

Helen Patricia Yahner passed away at Riverside Healthcare & Rehabilitation in Missoula on Friday, July 27, 2018, at the age of 82. Helen was born in Brooklyn, New York, to recent immigrants from Germany, Joseph Packer and Marie Fischer Packer, on September 23, 1935. She was raised in Anaheim, California, loved ocean swimming and riding horses. Helen met her future husband, Joe Yahner, at Oregon State University, where she received her degree in Home Economics. Helen and Joe married on June 21, 1958, in La Jolla, California.

Helen, Joe, and their daughters lived in Corvallis, Oregon, Vicosa, Brazil, and West Lafayette, Indiana, prior to retiring to Kauai, Hawaii.

Helen was a talented cook and seamstress, active in many creative and volunteer pursuits including the Embroiders Guild of America, Master Gardeners, Purdue Agronomy Wives, National Tropical Botanical Garden, and Kauai Hospice.

A major highlight of her life was being reunited with her mother’s (Fischer) and father’s (Ptacek) families in Germany and the Czech Republic. This connection to her family roots gave her great joy and is maintained by three generations of cousins in the United States and Germany.

In later years Helen moved from Kauai to Eugene, Oregon, and to Missoula, Montana, where she was cared for by her family and many wonderful caregivers at Garden Way, The Springs, Riverside Health & Rehabilitation, and Partners in Home Care Hospice.

Helen is survived by her daughters Marie Yahner, Elizabeth Yahner (Nick), Carol Yahner (Tony), grandchildren Nathan (Victoria), Samuel (Raylee), Maya, Liam, Theo, CJ, her brother Alan, nephew Todd, and nieces Alandra, Crystal, Vanessa, and cousins in Germany. Her husband Joe passed away November 8, 2004, in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Family services will be held in Missoula and Eugene, Oregon.

Donations may be made in Helen’s name to Partners in Home Care Hospice and Humane Society of Western Montana.