Helen Jean Stennes

May 6, 1926 - January 25, 2016

Helen Jean Stennes passed away peacefully at home in Bakersfield on January 25, 2016, with her husband, daughter, and granddaughters by her side. Born in Bruno, MN, she was the second child of Garfield and Myrtle Douglas. Helen grew up with two brothers, Garfield and Bruce, in the tiny town of Hendrum, MN. Helen learned piano from her mother, a piano teacher, and played clarinet in the high school band. As a young woman, Helen excelled in math and found her first job working in a bank. In 1946, Helen married her sweetheart, Harley Stennes. They came to California on their honeymoon and stayed for 69 years. Helen and Harley raised three daughters in Bakersfield. She was active in PTA, school events, church activities, bowling league, and carpooling her girls. Once the girls grew older, Helen returned to work as a bookkeeper at Kern General Hospital. Helen completed her career working 16 years at Kern County Department of Agriculture, where she made many friends. Helen was a lifelong Christian, loving, kind, fun, witty, and generous. She was supportive and active in her Emmanuel Lutheran Church for many years. Her life revolved around church, family, and friends. She often travelled back to Hendrum, Detroit Lakes, and Kansas City to visit family. Over the years, she and Harley also travelled to Europe, the Caribbean, Hawaii and Alaska, always with close friends and family. She always cheered for Team 88, her granddaughters Nascar truck team, enjoyed dancing, and loved those daily calls to her daughters and grandkids, wherever they might be. A wife, mom, grandma, great-grandma, family and friend to many, she was loved and will be greatly missed. She is survived by her husband of 69 years Harley Stennes, children Pamela (Steven) Wright of La Jolla, daughter Barbara (Stacy) Oldham of Rancho Palos Verdes, and daughter Lori (Danny) Russell of Bakersfield. Helen is also survived by her brother Bruce (Marlys) Douglas of Detroit Lakes, MN, and sisters-in-law, Ferne Thorson of Fargo, ND, Patti Douglas of Berryville VA, and Terry Stennes of Leawood, KS. She has 9 grandchildren including David and Susan Wright; Alex (Leslie), Stuart, and Keith (Michaelann) Oldham; Dana (Duncan) Gillis, Deidra (Carl Junior) Joiner, Debra (David) Derr, and Daniel Russell. She also has five great-grandchildren, Danica and Davin Gillis, C.J. and Jackson Joiner, Carter Oldham, and one baby on the way. A viewing will be held on Thursday, January 28, at Mission Family Mortuary, 531 California Ave., Bakersfield, between 4pm-7pm. Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, January 29, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 1900 Baker St., Bakersfield, at 11am.