Helen Irene Nunan

The fourth of ten children and first daughter of an Irish-American Catholic family, Helen Irene Nunan was born at home, 416 17th Avenue May 8, 1915 in San Francisco, California. She was baptized in the Star of the Sea Church on June 6, 1915 with her Uncle Henry Horn and his wife Alice serving as godparents.

Helen's father, John Francis Nunan was a first generation American, born in San Francisco in 1889. His father John Joseph Nunan was born in County Cork, Ireland. At the time of Helen's birth her father was working as a conductor on the Geary Street line of the San Francisco transit. Helen's mother, Anita Juliet Reedy was born in 1890 in Modesto, California. Anita's grandparents were born in County Clare Ireland.

Helen's memories of her childhood centered on her large extended family. Her grandfather, John Joseph Nunan lived close by with his sister Ellen Murray, her two sons and daughter while numerous cousins from her Grandmother Nunan's side of the family (the Donovans) lived across the bay in Oakland. Grandfather Reedy and his second wife Anna lived in Cupertino, south of the city. There were many large family dinners in the Nunan home. Helen remembered they were seldom invited to dinner at relative's homes perhaps because there were so many Nunan children!

One of Helen's happiest memories was taking a boat trip with her family up the San Joaquin River to visit Aunt Kate's family in Stockton. Aunt Kate, Uncle Warren Cain's sister, was married to Lloyd Stanbrow. The 1920 census shows the Stanbrows living around the corner from the Nunan family.

Helen was a bright, intelligent child and as the first daughter was often given charge of the care of her younger siblings. She considered herself a "tomboy" because she would rather play sports with her older brothers than play house with the little girls in the neighborhood. She had many freckles and always felt her mother was disappointed she was not a "prettier and more lady-like child".

When Helen graduated from parochial grade school she was accepted as a student at Notre Dame, a prestigious Catholic girl's high school. Her great-aunt Agnes Dunn was her sponsor being an influential alumnus of the school. Unfortunately, in her sophomore year Helen was needed at home to help her mother care for the younger children. Helen was always bitterly disappointed that she never graduated from high school. She entered night school in an effort to earn her diploma and instead met a Russian immigrant artist, Alexander Mushkin to whom she was married in the midst of the depression on July 16, 1933. Her sister, Shirley, recalled many years later that few of her younger brothers and sisters were able to attend because they lacked "good clothes and shoes". That may be but at that time the Catholic Church exercised strong control prohibiting members of their church from attending services in any other church denomination.

Helen and Al were married in the Russian Orthodox cathedral. She had a beautiful wedding dress which has been saved. Alex worked as a painter with his father and Helen stayed at home caring for the children as they arrived. Diane was born April 4, 1935, Susan on September 22, 1937 and Michael born June 10, 1940. During this period Alex's parents decided to move to Seattle although they returned to San Francisco for a short period. Finally they relocated permanently in Seattle and Alex and Helen decided to join them in 1941. The senior Mushkin acquired several pieces of property in the northwest area of the city near Fort Lawton. Over the years they built several homes along with their sons. His father offered to sell one lot to Alex and Helen where they could build a home of their own. They had just moved into the unfinished house when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.

During World War II Helen's brother Jack and Bob served in the Army in Europe while in the Pacific Donald served in the Navy and Al in the Merchant Marines. Helen and her family were happy to see her brothers whenever they came through Seattle.

At the end of the war Alex started his own design business and Helen continued to stay at home and care for their children. The elder Mushkins and their sons all lived nearby providing a substitute for Helen's family in California. Nevertheless Helen and her children drove to California as often as they could and the Nunans visited Seattle.

Helen learned to drive with the help of a neighbor who was the wife of an Army officer stationed at nearby Fort Lawton.

In 1951 Alex and Helen separated. Helen had never held a paying job and now faced the frightening prospect of having to support three children. A next door neighbor worked for the Washington Athletic Club and helped Helen find work as a banquet waitress. The hours were long and the work hard. At the "club" Helen made many new friends among the staff. In 1956 she married Ralph Pipkin who also worked at the athletic club as a bartender.

Helen's brother Raymond died on the 14th of August 1958. Immediately after she returned to Seattle after attending his funeral, her sister Dorothy died on the 23rd of August. Helen's wish to be closer to her family was instrumental in the decision to sell her house and move south. A bad auto accident in 1959 put Helen, Ralph and John Nunan in the hospital. Only Anita escaped serious injury. While Helen and Ralph healed her father did not. He succumbed to a heart attack three months later.

Helen and Ralph returned to Seattle staying with her daughter Diane and her family until they were able to get back on their feet. They bought a house on Magnolia where they planted roses and entertained with barbecues in the back yard. Ralph's problems with alcohol finally ended their marriage in 1964.

In 1966 Helen married William H. Parker. Bill worked as a bartender at various bars and restaurants while Helen worked as a waitress at The Bon Marche. In 1970 Helen's physical problems forced her to retire with a social security disability pension. Bill left bartending and took a job driving tour bus for a senior citizen's group. They sold the house and Helen traveled with him all over the United States. Bill died of cancer in 1981.

Helen's daughters convinced her to move from her White Center apartment (south of Seattle) to senior housing on Queen Anne to be closer to her family. The new apartment provided security allowing her to enjoy her interests: following her favorite sports team, working her crossword puzzles and reading. Her health continued to cause her problems eventually requiring her to use oxygen 24 hours a day and effectively confining her to the apartment. Helen succumbed to lung disease at Providence Hospital in Seattle on March 10, 1992.

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