Helen Ilene Reed passed peacefully from this life on Thursday, July 20, 2017.

Helen Ilene (Dickson) Reed was born September 2, 1929 to Gordon and Pearl Dickson at the home of her grandparents in Nyssa, Oregon.  Helen was raised on a large, working ranch in Ironside, Oregon. She attended grades 1 through 8 in a one room school house in Ironside, Oregon. She finished her education attending high school in Vale, Oregon, while living in an apartment in Vale with her sisters and her mother as it was the closest school to their home in Ironside.

Helen met her husband, Bob Reed at a Saturday night dance at the Community Hall in Vale, Oregon.  They were married on September 7, 1947. They made their home in Vale where 4 of their 5 children were born, Robert Reed, Jr., Teresa (Reed) Smith, Tina (Reed) Helm and Randall Reed.  In 1963 they moved to Nampa where their 5th child, Stephanie (Reed) Herman was born. In 1972 they moved to Kuna and purchased the Kuna Mercantile.  They resided in Kuna until their retirement in 2000 and then moved back to Nampa.

Helen and Bob both enjoyed crafts.  They entered local bazaars for several years before spending 10 years hosting their own bazaars in their home each fall.  Helen provided hand sewn items, dried flower pictures and cards made from flowers grown in her garden as well as decorating and hand painting the wood carvings created by her husband.  Helen was also active in making items for the churches bazaar each year.

Helen was very active in her church and enjoyed her turn at hosting the women’s meetings in her home as well as participating in numerous activities and service projects.  She was a long time member of the  First United Methodist Church in Nampa.

There are many good memories that were created by Helen from holding craft days in the fall for the girls and their children to make special decorative items to the many family holiday dinners and BBQ’s, complete with games for the families to play and enjoy.  She treasured her family as we will treasure her memory.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents, 4 sisters and 2 brothers.  She is survived by her husband Robert Reed, Sr.; children Robert Reed, Jr., Teresa Smith, Tina Helm, Randall Reed and Stephanie Herman along with numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, step-grandchildren and step great-  grandchildren, as well as nieces and nephews.  She is also survived by two sisters, Hazel Williams of Bend, Oregon and Norma Smurthwaite, of Portland, Oregon.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, July 25, 2017 at the First United Methodist Church, 2717 12th Ave. Rd., Nampa, Idaho. There will be a viewing prior to the services in the foyer of the church. A private burial will be in the Hillcrest Memorial Gardens

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