Helen Virginia (Mathis) Detwiler was born on February 6, 1928 the daughter of Sherman & Lou (Logan) Mathis of Smith Center, KS. She passed away at the San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington, New Mexico on June 1, 2017 at the age of 89.
She attended elementary & high school years in Smith Center, KS graduating in 1946. Loren and her first met at a basketball game in 1945. She graduated from Kansas State University in 1950. She married Loren Detwiler on June 8, 1950. She taught fourth grade in Wamego, KS for 1 year. The couple then moved to Wakeeney, KS in the fall of 1951 where Helen taught second grade.
On June 22, 1951 Loren was drafted in the Army. Helen resigned her contract to follow Loren during basic training at Camp Caffee at Fort Smith, Arkansas. She taught second grade at Fort Smith for four months. After Loren was sent to Korea, Helen returned to Wakeeney to start a kindergarten program that she taught for 33 years.
In 1984 they moved to the south rim of the Grand Canyon where she taught first grade for 9 years. She loved her students and they loved her. She often said how fortunate she was to spend 43 years doing something that she loved.
She bonded well with her Hopi students and parents which lead to many initiations to ceremonies in the Plasas & Kivas at Hopi. Both Loren and Helen retired in 1993 and moved to Mesa in the winter & Estes Park in the summer. She loved to Square & Round Dance. They were fortunate to dance as a couple for 68 years.
Helen also taught round dancing for 20 years. She was an avid hiker, climbed Longs Peak 3 times & loved Rocky Mountain Park hikes. Helen hiked to the river in Grand Canyon 9 times and from the North Rim to South Rim 3 times. She loved music and was an accomplished piano player. The baby grand piano that her mother gave her when she was 5 years old is now in there Estes Park cabin where it often was played for hours at a time.
She was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Estes Park, Co where she sang in the choir for 20 years. She was the one that fell in love with the old cabin they bought in 1967 and enjoyed for 49 years. She loved her breakfast view of Longs Peak. Helen loved to travel and was very fortunate to be able to visit all 48 states, Alaska & all of the Canadian provinces. She was a great partner to Loren for 67 years.
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