Obituary for Helen Grubb Evenson

Helen Evenson, born Helen Louise Grubb, passed away at her home in Westminster, Colorado, on Saturday, October 12, 2024. She was the second child born to George Roscoe Grubb and Mabel Leona Heine. Helen was born in Champaign, Illinois, on June 8, 1924. She and her family were members of the First Presbyterian Church in Champaign. Her family included one older brother, Robert Francis Grubb, and three older half-brothers, George Roscoe Grubb Jr, Carl Frederick Grubb, and Gordon Leroy Grubb. Helen married Homer Frederick (Jack) Carpenter Jr. in Champaign on July 25, 1945.  From that union came three sons: Alan Trenton Carpenter, John Frederick Carpenter, and Robert Bruce Carpenter. That union ended in divorce.  She later married Dr. Edward Stanley (Ed) Evenson in Champaign October 2, 1977, and became stepmother to Dr. Evenson’s four children: Julie, Edward Erik, Kurt, and Jeanie. Ed preceded Helen in death on December 2, 1995.  Helen was greatly loved by her late husband Dr. Evenson, all his children, and all their children for her kind, loving heart.

Helen grew up in Champaign, living first at 102 Daniel Street. In her words, “Most of the children in the area were boys, so I became quite a tomboy to be able to adapt to the rough and tumble of the boys and the teasing of my brothers and their friends…but I loved it.”  She attended Colonel Wolfe elementary school, Champaign Junior High, and then Champaign High School, graduating in 1942.  Her high school interests and accomplishments included Booster Club, Champaign Chronicle Associate Editor, Coloresque Club Treasurer, Dramatics, G.A.A., Hall Duty, Marching Band (French horn), National Honor Society, Quill and Scroll Treasurer, Stage Stormers, Thespians, and Wig and Paint Club.  She began her studies at the University of Illinois in 1942, and joined the Delta Gamma Sorority.  She worked as a volunteer at the USO at Chanute Army Air Corps base in nearby Rantoul, where she met Jack, who had been a decorated B-17 pilot during WWII. She suspended her college education when they married in 1945 and moved with Jack to Miami Florida. She resided there until her separation from Jack in 1952, when she and her three sons returned to Champaign to live with her parents at 511 S. Ridgeway Street and continue her education. She completed her B.S. degree in Elementary Education at the University of Illinois in 1956, went on to complete a Master of Education degree there in 1964. She enjoyed a lengthy teaching career in the Unit 4 School District in Champaign, teaching mostly second grade at several elementary schools (Lottie Switzer, Carrie Busey and Westview) over a 21-year period.  She was beloved by her students, fellow teachers, and school administrators. Perhaps her most famous former student was Bonnie Blair, who won five gold medals and one bronze medal in Speed Skating at the 1994 Winter Olympics. Many former students came back to visit her years later to express their appreciation.

In 1963, she and her three sons moved to their own home at 503 W. Charles Street in Champaign. This remained as her home until she married Ed in 1977, when she then moved to his home in Springfield, Illinois. When she arrived there, she joined the Westminster Presbyterian Church, and held many positions over the years, including serving as a children’s tutor.

In 2016, Helen moved to Covenant Living retirement community in Westminster, Colorado, to be near her three sons and daughters-in-law. She joined the Broomfield United Methodist Church and was a faithful attendee and active participant in Sunday School. She was also a member of the Mary Martha Circle and the United Women of Faith. Helen made many wonderful new friends in Colorado, even into her 90’s.  One of her friends at Covenant was a gray squirrel who faithfully visited her second-floor balcony every day to receive a peanut from Helen. If she forgot or was late, the squirrel would lean up against the glass and look through the window at her, reminding her of her tardiness. He, like us, will miss her terribly.

While raising her three sons, she balanced many demands for her time, always giving the right amount of attention to her family, her career, and her personal interests and friendships. She was a very good piano player, playing mostly for her family and her personal enjoyment. She was also a member of King’s Daughters and PEO. She especially enjoyed playing Bridge, and was part of at least one Bridge club throughout her life. She also enjoyed playing games with the family and friends, especially Pounce, Jeopardy, Boggle, and later, Dominoes. As her boys grew into teenagers, they all developed an interest in snow skiing, and this remained a source of great pleasure for her well into her 80’s. She was a founding member of the Champaign Ski Club, served a term as its President, and was active in it for many years, taking numerous ski trips to the upper Midwest and the Rocky Mountains. She also earned several NASTAR ski-racing medals for her age group.

She strongly encouraged her sons to become active in Boy Scouts, and all three achieved the rank of Eagle, as did three grandsons. The family frequently went camping together as well, and especially enjoyed trips to the national parks in South Dakota, Colorado and Wyoming, and an amazing backpacking trip to Isle Royale National Park. Her love of the beauties of nature and her desire to protect them was another strong theme throughout her life. She set a great example of adopting personal practices of resource conservation and waste reduction, and encouraged others to do so as well. Helen was a life-long environmentalist as evidenced by her membership in the Nature Conservancy, the Sierra Club and the Covenant Living Sustainability Committee. Helen was a long-time member of the Little Traverse Conservancy, a non-profit organization that preserves natural areas in the Petoskey, Michigan, area. She was also a long-time member of the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council. In addition, she developed a lifetime dedication to physical fitness, from the time when she started using the Royal Canadian Mounted Police exercise program in the early 60’s.  Her ongoing commitment to daily exercise, and especially walking, is legendary.

Helen had a lifelong affinity for ice cream, a trait that almost all of her progeny have inherited.  In addition, she especially loved the “chocolate stix” Al-Meda Candies, originally made in Michigan. She was also an amazing cook, and she had many specialties.  Among the most memorable were her carrot cake, pralines, lasagna, and the oven-broiled Lake Superior whitefish and fresh fruit cobblers she made while at the family cottage on Bayside Avenue in Bay View, Michigan. Speaking of the cottage, Helen was instrumental in finding it and encouraging her parents to purchase it in 1935, despite the ongoing Great Depression.  It was constructed in 1882, Victorian in style, and sits in an idyllic location directly on Little Traverse Bay, with a magnificent sunset view almost every evening.  It has been an incredible source of peace and pleasure for countless family members and friends for almost 90 years and will remain in the family as part of her legacy.

Bay View is a special summer community that was founded in 1875 by the Michigan Methodists as a camp meeting “for scientific and intellectual culture, and for the promotion of the Christian religion and morality.” Helen visited Bay View nearly every year from 1933 to 2021. She was a member of the Bay View Association for more than sixty years, a member of the Campus Club, and was a regular participant in Sunday worship services, lectures, clubs, and many other activities. Her Christian faith remained strong throughout her life, and in her final few years, she frequently expressed her readiness for passing from mortality into the next life, there to enjoy the glorified presence of God with family and friends.

Another recurring theme throughout her life was her ability to make and keep close friendships with all kinds of people. She truly enjoyed meeting and getting to know everyone around her, and she built an amazing circle of friends. As she grew older and more and more friends and family passed away, she honored their memories while she continued to make new friends and embrace new family members.  She was generous with her time, and always willing to help.

Dedication to lifelong learning was another hallmark of Helen. She was a long-time member of the Academy of Lifelong Learning, and her desire to learn never faded throughout her life.  She was an avid reader of countless books and magazines. She, some of her friends, and Ed also participated in many Elderhostel (now called Road Scholar) trips throughout the United States and several in Europe. She encouraged others, and especially her family members, to obtain the best education possible, and to pay it forward by sharing their knowledge with others.

Her marriage with Ed spanned 18 years. For a time, Helen learned how to become a real estate agent, and held that position for several years. Ed completed his career as an MD Anesthesiologist at Memorial Hospital in Springfield in 1984. They were active members of the Sons of Norway club throughout their marriage, and she served as President for a time. She was happy to learn much later that she actually does have her own Norwegian ancestors. She worked as a volunteer docent at Lincoln Memorial Garden for many years, and regularly escorted many schoolchildren on their field trips through the park. During their marriage, Ed had several very serious health issues, through which Helen was always there to provide care, comfort and encouragement.  Their feelings of love and affection for each other were strong and deep. Helen always treated Ed’s children as if they were here own, and Ed and his children welcomed Helen’s family into their lives as well. Her relationships with them remained close throughout her life, even after Ed’s passing. She maintained an active interest in their lives, through phone calls, letters, and personal visits, up to the time of her death.

The following words from the Book of Proverbs, chapter 31, provide a perfect description of Helen:

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed…”

Abraham Lincoln put it this way: “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”

Words cannot adequately describe and summarize her life so very well lived. She leaves a legacy of love, friendship, learning, dedication, selflessness, tireless energy, strength, good humor, compassion, generosity, and a steadfast faith in others and in Jesus Christ. Her passing leaves a giant hole in the hearts of all who knew her.

Surviving are her three sons, Alan Carpenter and his wife Betsy Neely of Boulder, CO, John Carpenter and his wife Marilyn of Westminster, CO, and Robert Carpenter and his wife Kay of Chandler, AZ, her four stepchildren Erik Evenson and his wife Sue of Clarksburg, MD, Julie Garcia and her husband Rudi of Madrid, Spain, Kurt Evenson of Springfield, IL, and Jeanne Dautermann and her husband Terry of Murrieta, CA.  Also surviving are eight grandchildren: Helen Neely (spouse-Chelsea), Riley Carpenter, Ryan Carpenter (spouse-Linh), Ross Carpenter (spouse-Kristen), Elias Carpenter (spouse-Cori), Catherine Ellis (spouse-Daniel), Amanda Kimball (spouse-Blake), and Nathan Carpenter.  Four step-grandchildren: Eric Garcia, Patricia Garcia (spouse- Pieter Ribbens), Matthew Evenson, and Luke Evenson.  Thirteen great grandchildren: Kyra Carpenter, Rowen Carpenter, Indianna Carpenter, Isaiah Carpenter, Jazlyn Carpenter, Jaycee Carpenter, Camille Ellis, Callia Ellis, Laney Ellis, Jovey Kimball, Reese Kimball, Leona Kimball, and Devin Kimball.

A Memorial Service and Celebration of Life for Helen will be held in Smith Hall of Covenant Living of Colorado, 9151 Yarrow Street, Westminster, CO, 80021, on Monday, November 11, 2024, at 2:00 PM MST.  The service will be recorded for later viewing.  Plans are being made for another Memorial Service to be held next summer in Bay View, Michigan, where Helen’s ashes will be buried in the Memorial Garden according to her wishes.

Helen asked that any contributions in her memory be made to either the Covenant Living of Colorado Benevolent Fund (303-951-8369 or 303-913-9111) or the Little Traverse Conservancy (231-347-0991).