Hellen Hardacre Obituary (2017)

Hellen Hardacre passed away eight days before her 94th birthday. She was born to Frank and Minnie Spanswick in Detroit, Michigan on February 18, 1923. Her father was from Kentucky and her mother was from St. Louis, Missouri. Hellen along with her parents and two brothers lived a traditional city life in Detroit. Her father was a skilled leather worker in the horse and carriage days and moved to Detroit to do detailed leather work for General Motors in the Fleetwood Cadillac. Her dad also did personal harness work for Henry Ford. She treasured her memories of growing up in Detroit, even in the difficult years, where transportation was either by taxi or streetcars. She loved trains due to her frequent childhood trips to visit her mother's family in St. Louis, Mo. Hellen's children also remember her taking them on these exciting train trips. In 1943, Hellen married Gerald Hardacre in Detroit, Michigan. She and Gerald made a spirited, adventurous couple who took their honeymoon to Niagara Falls on a Harley Davidson Motorcycle. Their three children were born in Detroit and in 1949 they moved to Dearborn, Michigan where they lived for 30 years. After Hellen raised her children she returned to retail and served as the manager of Maternity Modes in Dearborn for several years. The head office in New York offered her a Regional District Manager position that she declined so that she could retire to Lake Havasu City with her husband in 1978. After moving to Lake Havasu City, Hellen and her husband made many new friends, were very active in the Senior Center and loved boatingalong with entertaining the many friends and family members who would regularly visit. Hellen loved ballroom dancing, playing cards, and traveling with her husband throughthe USA and Canada. A month long trip to England with a friend from Lake Havasu in 1981 was a real highlight that honored her distant English heritage. Hellen was an excellent seamstress and in retirement developed a passion for quilting. Her family members will treasure the many quilts she has made for them. Hellen was a devoted mother and grandmother. She traveled often to Michigan to visit her children and grandchildren. From 1987 to 2008, she and her husband spent the summers in Peace River, Alberta with their daughter and granddaughter Lydia. She loved these summers in the beautiful Peace River valley that reminded her of Michigan. Lydia treasured these summers with her grandmother and has spent every Spring Break with her in Lake Havasu for 28 years. Hellen welcomed many of her granddaughter's friends to her home and made their visits to Las Vegas, Lake Havasu and Phoenix very memorable. Hellen is survived by her daughter Donna (Calgary Alberta);son Jerry and daughter-in-law Aggie (Michigan); son Bill and daughter-in-law Sally (Michigan); five grandchildren,Tabitha, Shari, Jason, Lydia,and Tony; and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, and her granddaughter, Tabitha. Hellen's favorite charities were Alley Cats, ASPCA and St. Jude Children's Hospital and she was also a supporter of PBS Television. Donations to any of these or other organizations that assist animals or children can be made in her memory. The family would like to express our gratitude to the staff of the Havasu Nursing Center for their loving care of Hellen for nearly three years. We also appreciate the excellent care she received from the staff at the Havasu Regional Hospital. Hellen had a great sense of humor, loved to laugh, and appreciated her long, wonderful life. She was a kind and generous woman who touched many lives and will be greatly missed. Services were placed in the care of Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home. Thoughts and condolences can be sent to the Hardacre family at www.lietz-frazefuneralhome.com.