Helen Giersch Topel Obituary (1933

Helen Giersch TOPEL 1909-2014 Helen was born at Providence Hospital in Seattle in 1909 and grew up in Mukilteo when it was still a farm community. She graduated from Everett high School and moved to Seattle to put herself through Holy Names Normal School. Her first teaching position at 20 years of age was in a one room schoolhouse in Krain, WA (now part of Enumclaw). When her husband became ill, she went back to school at Seattle University and completed her degree in Education and taught in Catholic and public schools until she turned 65. Helen was a devoted Roman Catholic. One word to describe the way she lived her life: Volunteer. She gave of her time and treasure to many causes - some of which were her children's schools and their extra-curricular activities, her parishes, the missions at home and in Africa, Human Life of WA, and St. Francis House where she served until she was 96. Her husband, Louis, preceded her in death and she is survived by her son, Fr. L. John Topel, S.J. and daughter, Judy (Ken) VanDerhoef. Her great joys in life were her grandchildren, Philip (Kathleen McKay) VanDerhoef, Kathryn (Brian) Maag, Michael (Patricia) VanDerhoef, Stephen (Dianne Wright) VanDerhoef; her great-grandchildren, Christopher (Lisa), Larkin (Andrea), and Daniel VanDerhoef, Michael Paul (Sarah), Peter, Patrick, and Annamarie Maag, and Otto and Ian VanDerhoef; and her great-great-grandchild, Parker VanDerhoef. Much love and gratitude to all her care-givers at Evergreen Adult Family Home and faithful friends who visited, especially Gayle Cook. Recitation of the Rosary will be Friday, Nov. 7th at 7:00 PM and the Funeral Mass will be Saturday, Nov. 8th at 1:00 PM, BOTH at St. Joseph Catholic Church 723 18th Ave. E, Seattle, WA 98112 Remembrances may be made in Helen's name to: Human Life of WA 14400 Bel-Red Road Ste. 20, Bellevue, WA 98007 or St. Francis House 169 12th Ave., Seattle, WA 98122 Hoffner Fisher & Harvey Guestbook at harveyfuneral.com. To send a flower arrangement in memory of Helen Giersch Topel, please click here to visit our sympathy store.