Texte intégral
In Loving Memory of HELEN GOULET-- It is with great sadness we announce the peaceful passing of Helen R. Goulet of Whittier, California, on October 21, 2005. Born Mary Helen Reskovac on August 11, 1928 in Versailles Borough of McKeesport, Pennsylvania. Helen graduated as valedictorian of McKeesport High School in 1945. She attended Muskingum College in Ohio, where she graduated in 1949 with a Bachelor's Degree in the do uble majors of Speech Arts and Political Science. She went on to obtain a Master's Degree in Speech Arts and Education from the University of Pittsburgh, in 1952. She moved to Los Angeles to accept a position with the Los Angeles Unified School District teaching at University High, where she met her husband, Robert Goulet, to whom she was married for 47 years until his death in June 2002. From Los Angeles, Helen and Bob moved to South America, where they lived for eight years, and where both of their chi ldren were born. In 1963, the family returned to California and moved to Whittier, where Helen and Bob both lived until they died. Helen was active in local politics, first mobilizing the school board to construct sidewalks along Janine Drive so that children attending Murphy Ranch Elementary would not have to walk in the street. She directed the holiday programs at Murphy Ranch Elementary when her children attended there. For many years, she was an active member of the local PTA (and served on the board, including the position of president). She was involved in the Whittier Area PTA Advisory Council, League of Women Voters, American Association of University Women and the Friends of the Library. In 1973, she ran for and won a seat on the East Whittier City School District Board of Trustees; she ran for and won a second term as well. She also taught adult school for the Whittier Unified High School District, including English as a Second Language and Naturalization courses and taught classes for the inmates at the women's prison in Frontera. For many years, she taught high school Sunday school at Whittier Presbyterian Church and directed dramatic productions at the church. In 1974, Helen joined the faculty of Mt. San Antonio College, where she worked until she retired in 1994. During her tenure at Mt. SAC, Helen taught Speech and Debate and American Language. She was the coach for the Debate Team and involved in forensics and intercollegiate competitions between 1975 and 1981. She was a member of the Academic Senate, including serving as its president, and was the chair of the campus-wide accreditation committee. After she had retired, Mt. SAC established the Tan-Goulet Scholarship for Speech Communication Excellence named after Helen and her friend and colleague, Colleen Tan. She took care of her mother until her death in October 2000; then her husband until his death in 2002. After Bob's death, she took on the responsibility of her granddaughter, Celeste, during the school week and saw her through middle sch ool. She is survived by two daughters, Suzanne Goulet and Camille Goulet; one grandchild, Celeste Florentin; two aunts and an uncle, many cousins and a niece and nephew, Richard and Denise Reskovac, the children of her late brother, Richard Reskovac. Helen will be interred in a private ceremony at the National Cemetery in Los Angeles, California, where Bob is interred. Memorial donations may be sent to the League of Women Voters Educational Fund 5841 Greenleaf Ave. Whittier, CA 90603 or the Mt. San Antoni o Foundation 1100 North Grand Ave. Walnut, CA 91789 Published in the Whittier Daily News on 10/30/2005.