Helen Whiteaker

Helen Marie Skotheim Whiteaker

April12, 1930 – April 19, 2017

On Wednesday, April 19th Helen Marie Skotheim Whiteaker went to be with her heavenly father and into the arms of all those waiting for her.  She was born on April 12, 1930 to Olaf H. Skotheim and Gertrude Garretson Skotheim in Portland, Oregon.

Helen lived in Portland and attended school there until age 12.  Due to sickness of both her mother and father, she and her older sister went to live with their aunt and uncle in Saskatchewan, Canada on their farm.  She attended school there until the ninth grade.  In 1946 she moved back to Los Angeles, California to be with her mother and sister.  She attended high school and college there.

After college Helen and her mother moved to Long Beach, California where she worked for McDonald Douglas Aircraft.  In 1954 she met the love of her life and became engaged.  He was in the Navy and had orders for Yokosuka, Japan.  Seven months later she went by ship to Japan and married Alton Whiteaker in the naval base chapel on August 11, 1955.  They raised two daughters, Deborah Ruth and Audrey Lynne and son Michael Wayne.

Helen followed Alton to many duty stations including Yorktown, Virginia, Holey Loch, Scotland, Washington D.C. Honolulu, Hawaii where they adopted their son and Bangkok, Thailand.  After her husband retired from the navy in 1972 she lived in Texas and Oregon where he worked in aircraft manufacturing.  When he retired for the second time, they moved to Utah in 1991.

Helen lived in Clearfield, Utah until 2015 when she moved into Fairfield Village retirement and assisted living center.  She was a devout loving wife, mother grandmother and friend.  She loved her Lord Jesus Christ very much and will be greatly missed.  She is survived by her husband Alton, daughter Audrey, son Michael, grandson Chase and granddaughter Caitlin.  She was preceded in death by her parents and her oldest daughter Deborah Ruth.

Funeral services will be Monday April 24, 2017 at 2 p.m. at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary 1867 N. Fairfield Rd.  Friends may visit with family Sunday April 23, 2017 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and on Monday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the mortuary.  Interment, Clearfield City Cemetery 1050 S. State St.

The family would like to thank Dr. Vincent Hansen and staff for their compassionate care of their mother.

In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the National Cancer Institute.