Helen Wadsworth Guercio, (93 years old) has left us to join the love of her life James “Jim” Guercio.
To those of us who knew them, we are not surprised that just 6 weeks after Jim’s death, Helen joined him in heaven.
Both Helen and Jim leave behind a legacy of love, family first, integrity and hard work.
There are no words that we as their children and grandchildren can use to express our deep feeling of loss and at the same time our joy in knowing they are once again united.
For Helen, the 41 days without Jim must have seemed like a lifetime, as they spent every day together and preferred each other’s company over all others.
Helen was born in Iona, Idaho in 1929, she grew up to be an independent career focused woman in a time when this was rare.
She had a beautiful singing voice and was often the solo at high school events. After high school, she responded to a Western Union employment advertisement.
The position required that she take a test, she was given priority because of her high scores and Western Union sent her to school in San Jose, California.
At just 19-years-old, she ventured on her own to pursue a career with Western Union.
She accompanied various groups, like the Shriners, on train trips sending their telegrams along the way.
Later, Western Union transferred her to Wyoming and eventually Provo, where she met Jim who was working for Chevron at the time.
The two became inseparable. Over the years, Jim was transferred from town to town. Each town the couple arrived in, Western Union had a job waiting for Helen.
Their final move in 1960 was to Winnemucca, and without fail, Western Union had a position waiting for her, Helen worked at the Winnemucca Western Union office for many years.
Helen had a gift of making people feel special. She was a great listener, always there to laugh at a funny story, or be a strong shoulder to cry on.
She rarely talked about herself or told stories about her childhood. However, when she shared stories from her past, they were worth listening to.
Helen had a smile that lit up the room, and a laugh that was only matched by her quick sense of humor.
We could write a book with the clever things that would just pop out of her mouth. Her talents were endless, she sketched, painted, sewed, crocheted and knitted, but her biggest talent was making all of her children feel loved and instilling in each one of us that we could be or do anything.
Helen was always doing for others, in 1964 when Nevada turned 100 years old, Helen made parade dresses for everyone she knew.
She made so many dresses, she did not have time to make her own, the unused fabric is still in her sewing trunk. Helen was known for her pancakes and waffles.
Every morning as kids we had our choice of the two, relatives and friends still rave about her endless pancakes and waffles.
Helen was the type of person who saved things, putting items away for safe keeping. Often her children or grandchildren would need some forgotten item and she always knew right where to find it.
Helen loved golf and was proud of the hole-in-one that she made at the Winnemucca Course.
Her face would light up when she told the story. Helen was a long-time member of the Women’s Booster Club, served on the Planning and Zoning Committee and was a Winnemucca Chief for several years.
Helen is survived and loved by her daughter Julie and her husband Dave Dins, her daughter Mitzi Mills, her son James “Dewey” and his wife Cindy Guercio and her grandchildren, Devin Dins, Jennifer Leal, Travis Dins, Michael Mills, Darrell Mills, Anthony Guercio and Jeremy Guercio and her great grandchildren, Ryan Dins, Teya Shaw, McKenzie Maddox, Nicholas Maddox, Hailey Marrero, Hudson Dins, Gavin Dins, Natalie Mills, Carolyn Mills, Logan Ambler, Mason Mills and Holly Mills and great great grandchildren Kaden Dins, Mason Shaw and Noah Shaw.
Helen was preceded in death by her husband Jim, son Randy, her parents Joseph and Edna, her son-law Paul Mills, and her siblings, Willard, Durant, Ervan, Lyle, Jean, Meriam, and Viola.
“Your life was a blessing to all who knew you, your memory is a treasure, you are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure”.
