So many fond, loving, humorous, and cherished memories of decades ago when we lived in Iowa City and Helene reached out to us; and she and Bob so shared their hearts and home with us. I can not imagine Iowa City or Trinity Episcopal Church without her. And such an immeasurable loss for all of us around the globe whose lives were profoundly touched by her.

Deep heartfelt love and condolences to all.

Catherine Janssen

(and Claire Janssen Irvan)

Portland, Oregon

Aside from being one of the most beautiful women I have ever known...aside from always making me feel like I was a part of the family each and every time I was at the House...

I went to 1 Oaknoll one day to see Mrs. Soper (it was always Mrs. Soper for me). As it was, I was on the wrong end of things and wound up near the dining room. A young lady at the desk saw me searching and asked who I might be looking for and I told her. She got up and walked with me to the dining room and said, "We could look here first although she isn't one for snacking at this time of day."

She went back to her desk and got on the phone. After talking to a couple of different people and ringing Mrs. Soper's room (no answer), she said, "It seems she is on the move."

"On the move? And where might she be moving?", I asked.

"Go across the way and search."

Which I did.

Which got me no where. She was clearly moving too fast...

That Christmas, around December 22nd, a year or two ago, I decided to stop by again and was all excited in hopes of seeing if her family, mainly Robert (!), might be in and whirling and twirling her around the town.

"Oh, no," said the same young lady. "Mrs. Soper is far more lucky than that and they have whisked her away completely. She's outta here!"

So very disappointed. Time flew by. We are all so busy, you know. But this time I tried to make a point of keeping my eyes open until I could try again to see her because I had missed Mr. Soper's passing which broke my heart ( and my butt 'cause I kicked myself so very, very hard).

I will see you all September 21st and make at least one more connection before my Time is up and lucky I am that I can!

My love and tears to you,

Dan

We met Hélène several times over the years when she would come to Vancouver to visit her daughter Libby. Our family would always look forward to seeing her as well. She was an absolutely charming lady, she had a keen intelligence and a sparkling wit, and was a fierce competitor when playing Bananagrams!

We share your loss.

Barb, Ron, Cole and Carson

I am so sorry for this loss to the Sopers. I have such fond memories of the whole family with all the cousins each summer.

So sorry for this loss to the Soper family. I met her a couple of times when she was visiting Libby and Adrian. I thought, very gracious, warm lady.

I am married to Robert Young and had the privilege of meeting Dr. and Mrs. Soper in the Oak Dining Room at Oaknoll during our visits to see Bob’s parents. It was a joy to see them both and after Dr. Soper passed away Bob and I enjoyed seeing Mrs. Soper in the dining room. She was always so engaging and warm, I felt as though I’d known her since my childhood. I am saddened to know that she has passed away. I hope the family will find solace in the knowledge that a great and wonderful person has been with them in their lives.

Nancy and I are so saddened to hear of her passing. We both consider ourselves so lucky, as we were touched by her "spirit, her joy and her boundless love". May her dear soul rest in peace and we know that her memory is a blessing to all her family and friends - our memories of her and Bob are a continuous blessing to us. Anthony Sandler and Nancy Bauman

So sorry to see this sad news. I will never forget the joy Mrs. Soper had EVERYDAY and that infectious smile.... She was the most optimistic person I have ever known. Thoughts and prayers to all her family, she will be missed.

I cannot imagine this town without Hélène--her smiling face two pews behind me, the no-nonsense efficiency with which she tidied up the sacristy after church or kept us organized at Free Lunch, her lively presence at so many concerts. I'd not realized she was so ill; the news (via Trinity's website) of her passing was a shock, and the beautifully-written obituary had me in tears. She had a larger-than-life presence in any space she was in, and I cannot imagine what you, her family, must be feeling. You have my prayers, of course, but also my profound gratitude for having, I'm sure, helped to make her the warm, cheerful, funny person that she was.

Dear Soper Family,

You have my deepest sympathies on the passing of your amazing mother and grandmother. My fond memories of Helene go back over 40 years, when she (along with my own mother) would regularly accompany the violin classes at the Preucil School, then in its infancy. (That's way back when they rehearsed in Old Brick!)

But I got to know her much better in the last four years (when my parents moved to Oaknoll). We became good friends, and conversing with her always gave me a lift, and put a smile on my face. Her zeal for life was legendary, and was matched by her loving and caring spirit. Even in her own sufferings, she was genuinely reaching out to others and was interested in how they were doing.

I cherish the memory of a conversation we had just a few weeks before she passed. Even in her own pain, she was encouraging me in my own health struggles, and that meant so much to me. I also consider it a great privilege that my mother and I were able to visit with Helene and Tim the day before she passed. She seemed aware of our presence. That will always be a precious memory to me.

She was truly one of the most amazing people I have ever met, and I will miss her very much. May you be comforted in this time.

~ Peter Bloesch