Helen M. Carrigan passed away peacefully at Careage of Whidbey on Oct. 15, 2013, at the age of 88. Helen was born in Evansville, Ind., on Nov. 4, 1924, to Leo and Maude (Yarbrough) Greenwell. The family moved to Champaign, Ill. where Helen lived until she met James A. Shake. She and Jim were married on May 12, 1943, in Tucson, Ariz., where Jim was stationed with the Air Force. Jim and Helen then travelled to Turkey, Guam and other destinations until Jim’s retirement in 1963.

The family, now with four kids in tow, made a brief stop in Florida, where baby Cindy was born, and on to Highland, Calif., where Helen spent the next 20 years. After raising her five kids, Helen returned to the workforce as a Superior Court Clerk supervisor in San Bernardino, Calif. Helen and Jim loved to dance and did so whenever they could.

Soon after the death of her husband Jim in 1980, Helen moved to Oklahoma City to live with her oldest daughter, Cathrine and husband Frank. She later married Lyle Selko in June of 1985 and they lived in Oklahoma until his death in November of 1991. Lyle and Helen travelled together extensively. Helen then married James Carrigan in August of 1994.

Helen belonged to the United Methodist Church of the Servant in Oklahoma.

During the early ’90s she travelled with the Volunteers in Mission to Jamaica, the Czech Republic and Nicaragua. She loved to travel and meet new people. She loved people and people loved her. In 2007 Helen moved to Whidbey Island to live near daughter Rosemary and her husband Bruce. She started bowling again and was active in a league until 2010. She also loved music and never missed a band performance where her daughter Rosemary played.

She is survived by daughters, Rosemary (Bruce) Kunow of Whidbey Island, Kimberly (Phil) Baca of Aguanga, Calif., and Cynthia (Bryan) Sanders of Highland, Calif.; son-in-law Frank Horner of Oklahoma City; daughter-in-law Cynthia Shake of Plymouth, Mich.; and stepsons David (Margaret) Selko of Rye, Colo. and Paul (Christine) Selko of Edmond, Okla. Survivors also include grandchildren James R. Shake, Ryan Horner, Jana (Horner) Willman, Teasha DeHeer, Heather Sanders and Tiffany Sanders. Helen had 14 great-grandchildren.

Helen was preceded in death by husbands James A. Shake, Lyle Selko and James Carrigan, son James E. Shake, daughter Cathrine Horner, grandson Lawrence Shake and by siblings Paul, Larry, Harold (Huck), Donald (Hap) Greenwell, Dorothy Palmer and Rosemary Bulakowski.

Cremation was held. Helen and her ashes will be buried alongside her husband James A. Shake in Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside, Calif. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Salvation Army in her name. Arrangements entrusted to Wallin Funeral Home & Cremation, LLC.