Helen Childers, 94, died peacefully on March 25 at her home on Bainbridge Island.

She was born on Feb. 7, 1914 at Swedish Hospital in Seattle and grew up on 10th Avenue East on Capitol Hill.

She graduated from Broadway High School and attended the University of Washington, where many lifelong friendships were made. She later transferred to the Cornish School to study art before becoming the chief fashion illustrator at Rhodes Department Store on 2nd Avenue.

During World War II, Helen joined the Red Cross and volunteered to go overseas in 1944. Stationed in High Wycombe, northwest of London, she met and fell in love with Major Frank Childers from South Carolina. They were married in England on November 15, 1945 and took a memorable honeymoon to Scotland.

Sons, Frank Jr. and Stuart were born in Atlanta, Ga. after their return. Happily for Helen, the new family located back to the Northwest in 1950 settling in Aberdeen where their third son, Gary, was born.

After rearing the family in Aberdeen, Helen and Frank moved to Bainbridge Island in 1970 to be closer to family in Seattle. They purchased the Bainbridge Department Store the following year and renamed it Childers, providing apparel to a generation of islanders until selling the business in 1986.

After retirement, Helen’s interest returned to art. She loved the socialization and instruction in the art classes she took and enjoyed painting well into her later life. She was a loyal and devoted member of Alpha Phi Sorority, Bainbridge PEO, Wing Point Golf Club and Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church.

Although she was an accomplished artist and hardworking retailer her true passion throughout life was her family and friends. She exhibited unvarying patience, nourishment and energy in support of the people she loved and cared about. Helen was a good listener and had an extraordinarily sharp memory for people and events; her family constantly relied on her accurate recall.

She was preceded in death by her son, Gary, and sisters Mary Richards and Dorothy Hollenbeck.

She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Frank; sons Frank Childers, Jr. (Mary Terry) and Stuart Childers (Wendy) of Bainbridge; brother John Eicher of Seattle; grandchildren Brant (Michele) of Simi Valley, Calif., Cole (Stacey) of Norfolk, Va., Katy of Seattle, and Anne and Claire of Brooklyn, N.Y.; great-granddaughter Grace; and 15 nieces and nephews, including Shirley Kiang of Seattle.

A memorial service commemorating Helen’s life will be held at noon April 5 at Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church. A private burial will be on Bainbridge Island. Remembrances may be made to Helpline of Bainbridge Island in the name of Helen and Gary Childers.

An online guest book is at www.cookfamilyfuneralhome.com.