Helen Goodwin

Helen Virginia Buckles Goodwin, age 96, of Wenatchee, Washington, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on June 12, 2026. Helen was born on October 15, 1929, in Wenatchee, Washington, to Cecil and Eunice Buckles. She attended Malaga Public School through the eighth grade and later attended Wenatchee High School. As a young girl, Helen developed a love for horses, a passion that remained one of her fondest childhood memories. On February 6, 1947, she married the love of her life, John W. "Bill" Goodwin. Together they shared more than 43 years of marriage, building a home centered on faith, family, hard work, and love. Before their marriage, Bill maintained a herd of horses on a farm in the Colockum area, where the young couple began their life together. In December of 1947, Bill and Helen welcomed their first child, Gordon, into the family. They lived there for several years until the beginning of the Korean War, when Bill, a Sergeant in the United States Army and veteran of World War II, was called back into active duty service. While Bill was serving in Korea, the horses had to be sold, and Helen moved to the Three Lakes neighborhood with their young son Gordon. Not long following Bill's return home from the war, daughter Nancy and son Greg were welcomed into the family. The Three Lakes area became the place where the family would put down roots and create a lifetime of cherished memories until 1986, when Bill and Helen moved into a new home on Stemilt Hill. Helen devoted herself wholeheartedly to her family and home. She could by no means be considered a typical homemaker. Those who knew her understood the tremendous love, effort, and dedication she invested into her role as a wife and mother. Helen was a Professional Home Maker. Her home, her children, her yard, and her personal appearance all reflected her attention to detail and pride in caring for those around her. If you saw Helen in public, she was always neat as a pin and wearing a beautiful smile. After her children were grown, Helen worked part-time as a cleaning professional for France and Company and later cleaned Stemilt Hill Community Church. Yet her greatest life's work was caring for her family and serving others. She loved welcoming people into her home and made sure no one ever left hungry. Her cakes, cookies, and pies became legendary among family, friends, and visitors—especially her grandchildren. One of Helen's quiet ministries was her faithful habit of sending greeting cards, sympathy cards, letters, and notes of encouragement. Whenever someone was ill, grieving, celebrating an achievement, or simply needed to know someone cared, Helen would often be among the first to reach out. Through these simple acts of kindness, she touched countless lives. Helen attended Malaga Christian Church until 1975, when she and Bill began attending Stemilt Hill Community Church with Gordon and Sally and their children. In the late 1990s, Gordon became the pastor of the church, and she remained a faithful member there for the rest of her life. Her Christian faith was sincere, steadfast, and deeply woven into the fabric of her everyday life. She was not an "in-your-face" Christian, but she quietly demonstrated her faith through kindness, compassion, hospitality, and service to others. She believed deeply in the Golden Rule and sought to treat everyone with grace and respect. Helen was described by her daughter as loving, caring, and kind. She was a gracious woman whose presence brought comfort to those around her. Neighborhood children knew they could run to Helen when they were hurt and their own parents were away. She always seemed to have a listening ear, a caring heart, and if you were there at mealtime, something good to eat. Though she was known as a firm disciplinarian with her children, it was no secret that she shared a particularly close bond with her daughter, Nancy. Family was the joy of Helen's life, and few things brought her greater happiness than spending time with her children and grandchildren. She raised three children: Gordon Goodwin, Nancy Smart, and Greg Goodwin. Helen deeply loved her six grandchildren: Jody Erb and her husband Eric, Jonni Horton and her husband Mike, Tom Goodwin and his wife Becky, Philip Gott and his wife Abby, Kristin Paskus, and Ryan Smart and his wife Ashley. She especially treasured time spent with them. Some of her happiest memories were camping with Bill and her granddaughters Jody and Jonni in the camper on the back of Bill's pickup. When caring for her grandchildren Kristin and Ryan for Nancy, she delighted in taking them fishing, hiking, and exploring around Buckles Pond. These simple adventures became treasured family memories that continue to live on through those she loved. Helen was further blessed with 14 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren, all of whom brought her tremendous pride and joy. Her family was one of God's greatest blessings in her life, and she delighted in watching it grow through the generations. If Helen could leave one final message, something she would want us to all know about her, it would be that she was a Christian who trusted completely in Jesus Christ. Her faith was anchored in the promises of Scripture: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." — John 3:16 "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" — John 14:6 Helen is survived by her children, Gordon and his wife Sally Goodwin, Nancy and her husband Terry Smart, and Greg Goodwin; her six grandchildren and their spouses; her 14 great-grandchildren; her 3 great-great-grandchildren; and many extended family members and friends who will miss her dearly. She was preceded in death by her parents, Cecil and Eunice Buckles; her beloved husband, John W. "Bill" Goodwin, who passed away on July 19, 1990; her sister, Nona Fulwieler; and her brothers, Joe Buckles and Jackie Buckles. Though Helen greatly missed Bill following his passing, she continued to live faithfully, serving her family, her church, and her Lord for nearly thirty-six more years. Her family finds comfort in knowing that after a long and faithful life, she has now been joyfully reunited with Bill and with her Savior, Jesus Christ. The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated staff of Cashmere Post Acute for the compassionate care they provided to Helen during the final years of her life. As dementia gradually stole precious memories and made daily life increasingly challenging, the nurses, caregivers, therapists, and support staff cared for her with patience, kindness, dignity, and respect. Their gentle presence, encouragement, and unwavering commitment brought comfort not only to Helen but also to those who loved her. The family will always be grateful for the many acts of compassion shown to Helen throughout her journey. Helen leaves behind a legacy of faith, hospitality, kindness, grace, and devotion to family. Her life demonstrated that the greatest impact is often made not through grand accomplishments, but through simple acts of love faithfully practiced over a lifetime. The family finds comfort in the assurance that Helen's faith has become sight and that she now rests in the presence of her Savior, hearing the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Helen Goodwin

October 15, 1929 - June 12, 2026