Mary Helen Whittenbaugh (known to her family and friends as "Helen"), 98, of Arvada, formerly of Sterling, passed away Dec. 17, 2009, at the Collier Hospice Center in Wheat Ridge. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 28, at Chaney-Reager Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 29, at Chaney-Reager, with Pastor Joseph Brennan officiating. Interment will be at Riverside Cemetery.

Helen's father immigrated to the U.S. from England in June 1888. She was born in Fayette County, Iowa, on July 26, 1911, the fifth of six children born to William Roys and Margaret Cousins. At the age of 5, her family moved to Washington County, near Summit Springs.

Raised in the Presbyterian faith, her family valued hard work (of which there was plenty), but they also allowed time for rest and recreation. Card games were a favorite pastime, and Helen never lost her love for the games. Her formal education ended following the eighth grade due to the demands of work on the farm and to care for her ailing mother. She was a quick learner and never stopped valuing education, especially the kind she learned on the plains of northeastern Colorado.

She grew up working with her eldest sister, Annie, providing care to the younger children and doing housework. She also found time to peddle creams, ointments and liniments to the neighbors. Annie was her surrogate mother.

She met Gayle M. Whittenbaugh at a baseball game. He was traveling through Colorado on his way to California. They wed on Dec. 24, 1929, after a brief courtship. They never continued the journey to California, choosing instead to settle near Sterling. They spent their entire married life ranching.

In 1931, Lois Jean (Schlegel) was born, followed by Colleen (Chance) and Lila Lea McFarland. Later in 1948, Gloria Ogley (Phillips) came to live with the family following the death of her mother, Annie. Family was always important and the ranch became the gathering location of choice whenever possible. Helen never tired of cooking or cleaning for the crowd, and was always attentive to the goings-on of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Family card games usually finished out the evenings.

When Gayle died in October 1986, Helen remained on the ranch for two years before moving to Arvada to be closer to Lois Jean. She split her time staying with Lois Jean and Lila Lea until her death.

She is survived by four daughters, Lois Jean Schlegel and husband Gerald of Arvada, Colleen Chance and husband Rodney of Sulphur, La., Lila Lea McFarland of Sterling, Gloria Phillips and husband Tyson of Sterling; one sister, Ilo Benson of Colorado Springs; two granddaughters, Charlene Heins and husband Royal, Julie Chance; five grandsons, Douglas Schlegel and wife Donna, Randy Chance and wife Kara, David Orton, Michael Orton and wife Beth, Rick Phillips and wife Rhonda; 10 great-grandchildren, Richard Heins, Christina Heins, Reese Chance, Kassidy Chance, Whitney Thistle, Madison Orton, Zachary Orton, Cary Phillips, Rikki France, Treyson Phillips; and three great-great-grandchildren, David Thistle, Flint Phillips and Cole France.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; two brothers, Sam Roys and Jim Roys; two sisters, Annie Ogley and Mildred Elwood; and a son-in-law, Howard McFarland.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations by made to the donor's charity of choice in Helen's memory.