Helen (Yelena, Lena) Yakovleff, Gunn, Marsh, Hudson, Nichols

Beloved and talented, Helen was born on September 8th 1925, three days after her mother, Evdokia, arrived in Shanghai from Orenburg, Russia. Her father, Serge, was under Soviet arrest and was later executed. Helen grew up in Shanghai as an only child with her mother and stepfather, John Gunn. She was educated by her mother, at English schools, a French convent school and a German school in Shanghai with summers spent in Harbin.

At 16 Helen was incarcerated as a prisoner of war for three years in a Japanese concentration camp outside Shanghai at Lunqhua. She carried the trauma of this imprisonment throughout her life. Always a person of faith, and through a friendship with a Japanese artist, she found grace, forgiveness and reconciliation.

After the war she married Hugh Linn Marsh in Shanghai and together they had four children: Mike, Ellen, Roberta and CL. She loved her babies! Helen and Hugh were married for 15 years. She was also married to Harry Hudson, and widow of Bill Nichols. She also truly loved her many grandchildren: Joseph, Daniel, Genevieve, Coco, Nathan, Jonathan, Bethany, Anna, Ben, Esau and Apollo and her great grandchildren: Gaia, Isaiah, Noah and Benna.

Talented, smart, graceful and very beautiful, Helen painted in multiple mediums; read voluminously, spoke many languages and loved to travel to many countries throughout the world; was an avid collector; and a best dressed woman. The last 45 years of her life in Tacoma, Washington was filled with healing, love, and wonderful art.

The family is very grateful to Bethany Adult Family Home for the tender care they provided Helen the last three years of her life.

Soli Deo Gloria