Helene Willis OBITUARY

The world lost a beautiful soul when Naomi Helene Willis (née Brammell) passed away peacefully on June 13, 2024, in the Boulder Community Health facility surrounded by members of her loving family. Naomi Helene Brammell, born May 16, 1933, in Storrs, Connecticut, was the daughter of Naomi Helene and Paris Roy Brammell and older sister to Homer (“Hank”) L. Brammell. Helene was always the name she used throughout her life to distinguish herself from her mother. Helene grew up in Willimantic, CT and graduated from Windham High School in 1951. She then attended Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. While in Arizona, Helene competed in The Miss Coconino County Scholarship Program. She did not compete for the Miss Arizona title due to her marriage engagement. She married James Stanley Arlington in Okmulgee, Oklahoma in December 1952. That marriage produced two children, James (Jim) Duncan Arlington, and Stanley (Stan) Brammell Arlington. After stints in Gilroy, CA and Odessa, TX the family moved to Oklahoma City, OK, where Helene received her Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Central Oklahoma. In 1962 the family moved to Boulder, Colorado where Helene began a stellar teaching career with the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) teaching first-grade at Mapleton Elementary School. She also taught other grades at Mapleton and as a team teacher for 5th and 6th grades with Jane Daniels. The family moved to Stillwater, OK in the summer of 1967 where Helene received her Master’s degree in Literacy Education (Developmental and Clinical) from Oklahoma State University (OSU) graduating magna cum laude. The family then moved back to Boulder, CO in 1968 where Helene resumed her teaching career at Mapleton Elementary School. In 1974 Helene moved from Mapleton to the BVSD Administration Building to facilitate the Reading Professional Development curriculum for BVSD K-12 teachers. She retired from the BVSD in 1990 but continued work as a literacy Educational Consultant for eight years at Coal Creek Elementary. Her reputation in the field then led to her developing a Masters in Teaching & Learning Program at Regis University that thrived from 1990-1994. During Helene’s career she was recognized with many awards: “Outstanding Young Educator Award”, the Boulder Jaycees, 1966 ; Colorado Jaycees, Third Award, as “Outstanding Young Educator”, 1966-1967; Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Chapter at OSU; Outstanding Educational Leader Award, Colorado Language Arts Society, 1988; Daily Camera Pacesetter Award in Education, 1990; Colorado State Board of Education recognition for “Valuable Service” to The State Certified Personnel Performance Evaluation Council, 1990; Toastmasters International, District 26, Communication and Leadership Award “For outstanding service through Communication and Leadership”, May 1994; The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International membership. Following her divorce in 1972, Helene married Roe Willis, another lifelong learner, in September 1974 and added three stepchildren to her family: Ted, Melinda (Mindy), and Pam. They all lived together in Roe’s house at 3000 4th Street in Boulder, CO. Helene lived with Roe at this address, always with a pet cat or two in the house (and sometimes a dog), until her passing. It was at this house that Helene pursued her love of gardening and horticulture. Their home was filled with love, family, flowers, potted plants, and adored and spoiled cats. Each summer brought another yard improvement project and additions to the flower gardens. Helene’s passion for learning inspired her interest in family history and the history of her new hometown, Boulder, CO. Helene was a past board member of Historic Boulder, Inc., the Hannah Barker House Committee and Chair of the Hannah Barker Book Subcommittee. Helene had the ingenious idea for a book project for Historic Boulder, Inc. which engaged young writers from the BVSD Wittier School to research and write about Boulder’s “Unsinkable Molly Brown”, Hannah Connel Barker. Helene shared much with Hannah; both were teachers, and both were active members of the First Congregational Church on Pine Street in Boulder. Helene is survived by her loving husband Roe E. Willis, her brother Dr. Hank Brammell (Carole) of Denver, CO, her son Jim Arlington (Kim) of Eagle River, AK, daughter-in-law Robin L. Arlington (Stan) of Louisville, CO, stepson Ted Willis of Longmont, CO, stepdaughter Mindy Willis (David Schroyer) of Anchorage, AK; eight grandchildren: Rachel Arlington and Major David Arlington of Eagle River, AK, Rianne Arlington of Broomfield, CO, Ben Arlington (Mandy) of Lafayette, CO, Adam Arlington (Edward) of Gilbert, AZ, Brian Schroyer and Jamie Schroyer of Anchorage, AK, and Matthew Hartman of Glenwood Springs, CO; six great-grandchildren: Luca Rasic, Cora Rasic and Iola Rasic of Eagle River, AK, Anniston Woog and Caden Woog of Broomfield, CO, and Kenley Arlington of Lafayette, CO; and several nieces, nephews, great and great-great nephews and nieces, cousins and dear friends. She was preceded in death by stepdaughter Pam Regan (November 16, 2015) and son Stan Arlington (April 9, 2017). A viewing will be held on Thursday, June 27th from 4:00pm to 7:00pm at Ahlberg Funeral Chapel, 326 Terry St, Longmont, CO. A later memorial service will be held July 1st beginning at 2:30pm at the First Congregational Church, 1128 Pine St., Boulder, CO. Messages of condolences to the family can be made online at: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/longmont-co/helene-willis-11861784