Helen Isabell Lagmay
Helen Lagmay
Helen Isabell Lagmay, 79, passed away at home on July 2, 2016. Helen was born September 4, 1936 in Denver, CO to Benny and Mary Lagmay. The family moved to Stockton, CA in 1942 and then in 1946 to Wapato, WA, where Helen grew up along with her many siblings on her father’s farm.
Helen graduated from Wapato High School in 1955. After graduation Helen attended Yakima Valley College. She moved 
to Seattle where she was employed by Boeing for a short time later getting a job at Blackstock Lumber Company where she worked until her retirement in 2001.
Helen spent 54 years with her life partner, Thomas M. Graham. Thomas passed away on March 8, 2016.
Helen enjoyed cooking, gardening, attending various Seattle celebrations, and traveling to Europe, Japan, Mexico, Canada and the good old USA. She enjoyed taking care of her nieces and nephews and on many occasions would take them on road trips. They will have many fond memories and stories of their adventures with Auntie Helen. Helen was a loving, nurturing woman and even though she had no children of her own, she was known to relatives and friends as “”Mother Helen”. Her other affectionate nickname was “Shorty” because she was short. She was passionate about keeping in touch with relatives and with her passing, the family will surely feel a void in this area.
For 20 years Helen was a participant in several diabetes research studies done by the Diabetes Research Group, VA Puget Sound Health Care System. The latest study, the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcome Study (DPPOS), examined the long-term effects of interventions on the development of type 2 diabetes as well as diabetes-related health problems and cancer diagnosis. She was adamant about following their instructions and kept right on task as to what was expected of her. The research staff all knew her and stated she will be missed.
Helen was preceded in death by her parents, Benny and Mary Lagmay; her twin brother, Samuel; her brother, David; and nephew, Scott Lagmay Campbell.
Helen is survived by 5 sisters: Andrea Korrell of Seattle, WA; Eileen Garza of Las Vegas, NV; Carmel Sullivan, of Olympia, WA.; Gail Silsby of Honolulu, HI.; Susie Pasco of Wahiawa, HI. She is also survived by 4 brothers; Leonard, Tommy, and Augie Lagmay of Seattle, WA.; Chuckie Lagmay of Wapato, WA. She is survived by 11 nephews, 4 nieces and numerous great nieces and nephews.
Helen, until we meet again. You will be missed. Aloha to are beloved sister.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, July 23, 2016, at 1 p.m. at 7545 45th Ave NE. Seattle, WA 98115. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given in Helen’s memory to the American Diabetes Association.
12 Responses to “Helen Isabell Lagmay”
Leave a Reply
Please be respectful. Disrespectful comments will not be published
When you have successfully submitted a comment, look in the space above to see your comment.
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
If you do not see your comment, click HERE
Aunty Helen, we love you and will miss you, but God loved you more and he called you home to rest, Now God we ask that you will give each family member the strength to accept your good and perfect will for Aunty Helen’s life, Amen. Aunty you are gone to soon, but you will never be forgotten. Thanks for all the memories I shared with you. ALOHA!!!!
You are gone but will never be forgotten. I will always remember the birthday cards and gifts when we where growing up RIP.
Dear Helen
You were the first family member to welcome me into the family so many years ago! The entire family soon followed. And what a wonderful family!
We shared many fun and memorable times. I am going to miss you! Now you are safe and with Tom and dear Sammy!
God bless you Helen… You will always be loved!
Aunty Helen. You were always so kind and nurturing to us all. Thank you for all the memories. Taking the nieces and nephews on trips, letting us hang out during the summer, but most of all just letting us be kids. Continue to nurture our loved ones. You’ll forever be in my heart. Love, Stefany
I will miss you Helen. I loved making up and telling you stories those times I was with you. You were always so kind to me growing up. Thank you!
Love, Cousin Judy
Aunty Helen
I’m going to miss seeing you at all the family events. It was always a great time hearing stories and seeing everyone laugh. You are always a joy to be around. We’re going to miss you.
-pono
Us being the two oldest sisters in the family everyone most likely
thought we grew up playing with dolls. But this was not the case,
you were always in and out of hospitals so tiny you could fit in a
small shoe box . Wish those doctors could see you grasp the gift
of life given to you and made it whole. You made the final foursome
when we all lived in the penthouse up on Queen Anne Hill by the
Space Needle. Those were the fun days being single. Enjoyed
the many visits back to Seattle to see you. I will truly miss you.
Go with God my beloved sister.
Auntie Helen will be greatly missed. I will always appreciate the trips you took our cousins on, the times you let nieces and nephew’s stay at the Palentine house with family and bother you in the summers as a teen, memories of you from a child to an adult, and your never ending appetite. Be at peace now, watch over your family from the other side, and you will forever be in my heart.
Rest in Peace Cousin Helen. I’ll always have fond memories of growing up in a family with 12 children. You were referred to as one of the older kids. Chris, Judy and I seemed to fit well in the family structure. To us, you were our babysitter, mother hen, a nurturing big sister. Too, will always remember your chocolate cake with green icing, trips to park to play on the monkey bars and merry-go-round and trips to places we’ve never been. Thank you for all your caring, loving, and supportive ways. You will greatly missed. Love, Cousin Bev
It was always a pleasure seeing u at all the family functions.It is obvious how much u loved your family and they loved u. Rest in Peace.
Aunty Helen…I love and miss you dearly. You were my Aunty, my Mom, my Grandma and my Friend. Because of you I had an unforgettable childhood. Spending summers with you, our endless outings and road trips are forever etched in my heart. You were a little pack of dynamite who will never be forgotten and will forever be loved.
Rest in Love Aunty
Aunty Helen,
Thank you for always being so sweet.
May you rest in peace…
With Aloha,
Linda