Helen Pierce (née Helen Espinosa), age 76 of Redlands, California, passed away on Tuesday, November 28, 2017 of complications arising from a 6-month battle with cancer. She was born in Arlington (Riverside County) California to the late Crescencio Espinosa and Refugio Luna on
December 14, 1940. A dearly loved mother, grandmother, and friend to many in the local community. For generations of students who attended schools in the Redlands Unified School District, she was the unflappable and kind front office lady who served several elementary schools in the district.

Helen was raised in Loma Linda, California on the land that her parents, immigrants from Jalisco, Mexico, bought in the depression era. She assisted her parents and siblings at her father's business, La India Pottery Shop in Loma Linda, and attended Mission Elementary School, Redlands Jr. High School, Redlands High School, and Skadron Business College, where she acquired secretarial skills that would serve her well for the rest of her life. She began her career in 1959 working as the secretary to the Directorate of Aerospace Safety at Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino, California. She left in 1974 to take a job as secretary to the Alumni and Development office at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont in 1974, but returned to Norton in 1975 to assume a position as secretary to the Base Commander, a position that she held until 1986.

She began working for the Redands Unified School District in 1986 as a secretary at Lugonia Elementary School and advanced to the role of Office Manager at Kimberly Elementary, where she worked until her retirement in 2010.  She was asked back to work in her familiar role as Office Manager at Valley Preparatory School in Redlands for 2 years by her former principal, and entered her final retirement in 2014.

In 1998, Helen was awarded the Redlands Unified School District's first award as Classified Employee of the Year for the level of excellence in her work at the schools.

Helen cherished her time spent visiting her children, sons and daughters-in-law, and especially her grandchildren in Redlands and in the Seattle area. She was a lover of cooking, train rides, time spent at the baseball park and soccer fields supporting her kids and grandkids. She was a wonderful seamstress and knitter, and had an artistic and crafts flair that many didn't know she had. She had a vivacious spirit, an infectious laugh, and a calm demeanor in the face of struggles and adversities.

Helen was a lifelong member of St. Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic Church in Loma Linda, California.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents Crescencio and Refugio Espinosa of Loma Linda, California, by her husband of 49 years, Kenneth Ray Pierce, Sr., originally of Burgin, Kentucky, by her sister Esperanza Sandoval of Loma Linda, California, and by her brothers William of Yucaipa, California and Manuel of Redlands, California.
Helen is survived by her sister Angelina (Jess) Lara of Highland, California; by brothers, Crescencio Ramiro Espinoza of Grand Terrace, California and Paul Espinosa of Redlands, California; by sisters-in-law Kay (William) Espinosa of Yucaipa, California,  Liz (Manuel) Espinosa of Redlands and Kaye (Paul) Espinosa of Redlands, by sister-in-law Jackie (Hugh Thomas) Foster of Shelbyville, Kentucky and brother-in-law Dennis Lynn (Janet) Pierce of Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Helen is survived as well by her five children, Kenneth Ray Jr. of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Stacey Lynn van Gelder and her husband Douglas of Woodinville, WA, Scott Patrick and his wife Kristin of Redlands, Kelly Renée and her husband Matthew Ready of Bonnie Lake, WA, and Daniel Martin and his wife Christin Suzi of Redlands.

She is also survived by 7 grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Helen requested a private burial. She will be laid to rest with her husband at Riverside National Cemetery. The family wishes to thank all of those who cared so wonderfully during illness.

Arrangements were provided by Sunset Funeral Care. Online condolences can be expressed at https://www.forevermissed.com/helen-pierce