HELEN L. WALTERS, 88, a longtime Oakesdale resident, passed away on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2011 at the Whitman Health & Rehabilitation Center in Colfax, WA where she has made her home the past several years. Helen was born Dec. 15, 1922 in Spokane, WA to Clarence & Rosa Lee (Crowder) St. John. She was raised in Oakesdale and attended school there and at Belmont until the 8th grade at which time she attended high school in Garfield, WA. Following her graduation from Garfield High School Helen attended Kinman Business School in Spokane for a short time. She worked at Allen B. Smith's packing peas, area restaurants including the Nobby Inn in Moscow, ID and Gritman Medical Center in Moscow. On Feb. 6, 1966 Helen married James H. Walters in Rosalia, WA. They lived on the family farm 2 miles west of Belmont where they farmed, raised cattle and Helen was a homemaker. She was a lifetime member of the Catholic Church, serving as Altar Guild President, as well as a member of the Oakesdale Rebekah Lodge and was a Past Noble Grand and a longtime member of LaDow Grange in Garfield. Helen was preceded in death by her husband in 1996. A graveside service will be held on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011 at 1 PM at the Garfield Cemetery, Garfield, WA. Bruning Funeral Home of Colfax, Wa is caring for the family. Memorial donations are suggested to the Rosalia Ambulance or to the Oakesdale EMT's.