Obituary of Helen Grace Bedney

Helen Grace Bedney Oct. 15, 1913 – March 4, 2014 Helen Bedney died of natural causes with family by her side. She was the first of four children born to Allen and Grace Chase in Kasson, Minn. She graduated from Kasson High School in 1930, and cum laude from Mankato State Teachers College in Elementary Education in 1932. Her first teaching job spanned five years and was in a one room school house with often more than 40 children in all eight grades. In 1934, she met and married the man of her dreams, Ambrose “Slim” Bedney. They shared 49 glorious years until his sudden death in 1983. Together they had nine children, including two sets of twins. In 1953 she and Slim moved their family from Minnesota to Portland, where they settled happily for the rest of their lives. For the next 25 years, she taught school at St. Ignatius, St. Peter’s, Sauvie Island and Joseph Lane. In 1964 she received her B.S. in education from Marylhurst College. She was an associate of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary and a member of the Catholic Daughters. Following her retirement from teaching, she volunteered in the classroom. She also became a daycare provider from her home. As busy as her life was, she still found time to write stories and poetry, play Pinochle and Poker, do cake decorating, gardening, painting and numerous arts and crafts projects. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ambrose; and nephew and foster son, Joseph Cran. She is survived by her children Beverly Vojta (Eugene, deceased), Barbara Rutherford (William), Betty Jo Brouillard (Donald), Bernard, Mary Funk (Robert, deceased), Teri Wright, Michael (Adriana), Daniel (Molly) and Debra (Michael); 28 grandchildren; 47 great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren. She loved children and flowers and always said they both need patience and loving care to thrive and bloom. Throughout her lifetime she nurtured and educated many children and always had beautiful flowers close at hand. A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. with a recitation of the rosary at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 12, 2014, at St. Agatha Catholic Church, 7983 S.E. 15 Ave., Portland. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Agatha’s School. Service Information