Thursday, 28 March 2024

Helen Beilsten

Helen Beilsten. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Helen Beilsten, age 98, passed away very suddenly on Aug. 7, 2020. She was born in Los Angeles in 1922.

Helen was an amazing, very loving mother, and a beloved wife. She had a sweet sense of humor and a beautiful soul.

She was happily married to Harry Beilsten – who predeceased her in 2015 – for 70 years, and they had so many wonderful adventures.

She is survived by her daughters, Susan Branston and Debbie Vayder; three grandchildren, Tammy Varnum, Jenny DeGroat and Sheri Obranovich; and her three great-grandchildren, Austin Penney, and Audrianna and Emilie Obranovich.

Helen was an accomplished singer and pianist. She and Dad met singing together for many churches and venues in Los Angeles and sang the leads in the opera “Carmen” for the San Gabriel Opera Co.

They married during World War II, which changed her singing ambitions. They started building houses during the war while working full-time jobs. They built 14 homes and an apartment complex over their lifetimes, for which Mom drew the plans and ran the skill saw.

In 1962 they moved from LA to Lake County. Helen loved the country and taught us to appreciate the beauty of nature. We learned to sing, play piano and cherish gorgeous music.

She came from a family of ranchers in New Mexico and Arizona and she bought a ranch in Lake County complete with cattle, horses and pear trees.

We loved every minute there learning to garden and become horse-loving cattle folk, enjoying everything the country life had to offer.

Every cow was special. The pigs all had names. She went to the horse auction and bought a horse that jumped the fence a few days later.

They purchased a restaurant in the Bay Area to supplement their lives, and ran both places for many years.

Helen had always loved art, and traveled abroad and to Alaska, Canada and the US gathering pictures for her paintings. She sold many of her paintings and was in the Painters of America catalogs.

She wrote a novel, taught us to sew, to bake, to garden, to laugh, to love, to cherish life, and in spite of many downturns and challenges in her life she always remained positive. Her message to us was “that taking risks is OK, and don’t give up when difficult times come.”

One of her favorite sayings was, “It’s in God’s hands.”

The last year of her life she said, “If you have any joy in your life, live it now,” and about the COVID-19 virus and life in general she said, “Don’t you think the Lord will take care of us?”

In her last few weeks she said, “Go with God every day.”

We will miss her until we see her happily with Dad in Heaven above. We were lucky to have known her, and I am sure she is shining brightly in Heaven.

We all love you forever, Mom.

Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .

Upcoming Calendar

28Mar
03.28.2024 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Vision resource group
30Mar
03.30.2024 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Second annual Bunny Brunch
30Mar
03.30.2024 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Lakeport Community Cleanup Day
30Mar
03.30.2024 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Lake County poet laureate inauguration
31Mar
03.31.2024
Easter Sunday
31Mar
03.31.2024 1:15 pm - 1:45 pm
Lakeport Rotary Club Easter Egg Hunt
1Apr
04.01.2024
Easter Monday
1Apr
10Apr
15Apr
04.15.2024
Tax Day

Mini Calendar

loader

LCNews

Award winning journalism on the shores of Clear Lake. 

 

Newsletter

Enter your email here to make sure you get the daily headlines.

You'll receive one daily headline email and breaking news alerts.
No spam.