Diane Frances Helley Diane Frances Helley was born in Vancouver, Washington, on October 13, 1960, at the old St. Joseph Hospital. The second child and eldest daughter of Max and Dorothy Helley, she joined older brother Les. Two years later, "little sister" Susan would complete the family. The early death of "Daddy" less than three months later left an indelible loss Diane felt all of her life. Still, this loss strengthened her bond with her mother, siblings and grandmother, an unpredicted gift for which she was ever grateful. The family's love shaped the relationships Diane was blessed with over the years as their number increased. She rejoiced when cousin Joycelyn Kapus came to live with her, Mom and Susan – the "baby sister" she had always hoped for. With her siblings' marriages she gained an older sister in Connie and a little brother in Jeffery. Diane adored her nieces and nephews Michelle, Chris, Amy, Tony and Maya and grand-niece Saoirse.

After ten years working in medical offices, Diane found her true vocation working in the Catholic Church as a pastoral assistant for administration for four Vancouver parishes: Our Lady of Lourdes (where she had been baptized as an infant and attended school), Holy Redeemer, St. John the Evangelist and St. James. Her 15 years at Holy Redeemer were perhaps the most rewarding as she helped grow the first new Catholic parish in Vancouver in nearly 50 years. Beginning in a small strip mall space on East Mill Plain, she worked diligently with founding pastor Fr. Joseph P. Mitchell through multiple capital campaigns to see the permanent church completed on 172nd Avenue.

Diane was preceded in death by her beloved parents Dorothy and Max. She is survived by big brother Les (Connie); little sister Susan (Jeffrey); "baby sister" Joycelyn (Robert); niece Michelle (Justin); nephew Christopher; goddaughter and niece Amy; godson and nephew Tony; niece Maya; and grand-niece Saoirse.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Vancouver on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, beginning at 11:00 am, preceded by the Rosary at 10:15am, with Christian burial following at St. Mary of Guadalupe Cemetery in Ridgefield where she will take her final rest with her parents.

Diane requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Sacred Heart Seminary in Uganda or Catholic Relief Services, both in care of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church (8701 NE 119th Street 98662) or St. Vincent de Paul Vancouver Conference (2456 NE Stapleton Road, Vancouver WA 98661).