Obituary of Vicky Lynn Hellen

Vicky Lynn Hellen, age 68, passed away peacefully at home in Vancouver, WA on August 6, 2019.  She was born in Liberal, KS on July 13, 1951 to Fred and Betty Handley.

  After Betty passed away away during childbirth, Vicky was rasied until age three by her Grandmother, Catherine, in Liberal.  At that time, Fred and his second wife, Ila Mae, brougth her to the Longview/Kelso area where she was adopted by Ila Mae as her own child.  Vicky graduated from Kelso High School and worked primarily for her dad at both Minit Mart 16 and Minit Mart 36 in Longview and raised her son, James. 

In 1984, she married Jim Hellen and lived in the Longview/Kelso area, Fort Worth, TX, Honolulu, HI and Scottsdale, AZ prior to settling in Vancouver, WA.  While living in the Longview/Kelso area they owned and operated both Minit Mart 36 and Curbside Cafe, a mobile lunch truck service.  Eventually moving to Vancouver, they have owned and operated Peaceful Paws Pet Cremation and Memorials, Lower Columbia Crematory for humans, and Cascadia Cremation and Burial Services until her passing.  While operating Peaceful Paws, she dedicated her life to assisting families that have lost a beloved pet. She enjoyed her work, camping, gardening, finding deals at the Kelso Sale Barn and garage sales, and spending time with her immediate family.  Vixky especially loved her dogs, especially her Doberman. 

Her parents, Fred and Ila Mae Handley and her birth mother, Betty Handley, preceded her in death.  Survivors include her husband of thirty-five years, Jim of Vancouver; son James Hutchenson and his partner Desmond Josephs of Vancouver; brothers - Terry (Mary) Hadley of Kingman, AZ an Mitch Hadley of Longview; sisters - Kim (Scott) Gabrielson of Longview nad Lori Hawn of Creswell, OR; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.  All will miss her determined and outspoken personality as well as her desire to always do things her way. 

At her request, there will be no formal serices.  At a later date, there will be a private family gathering.  Cascadia Cremation and Burial Servies of Vancouver is in charge of arrangements.  She requested that donations be made in her memory to PeaceHealth Southwest Hospice, 5400 MacArthur Blvd, Vancouver, WA 98661.

The family would like to thank the nurses and staff of PeaceHealth Southwest Hospice for the excellent care and comfort they provided during her final days.