Helen Soukeyasian, 86, passed into eternal life on Friday, May 6, 2011, at her residence at Willowgreen Care Home. She was born in Racine on January 19, 1925, to the late Zadoor and Nazli (nee: Zanazanian) Zakarian. She married Steve Soukeyasian, of Istanbul, Turkey, on December 1, 1957, and they raised two daughters. He preceded her in death in 2003.

Helen made her home in Racine, and had many lifelong friends. A graduate of Horlick High School, she worked at Chase Bank for 25 years, and previously at the Racine County Courthouse, and Veenstra Lumber. After retiring in 1990, she volunteered at St. Luke's Hospital Gift Shop. She belonged to St. Hagop Armenian Apostolic Church where her parents were charter members. Helen was also a member of the Armenian Relief Society/Sose Chapter, and St. Luke's Hospital Auxiliary.

Helen loved being with family and friends, and could always be tempted with chocolate and ice cream. She enjoyed all things Armenian, including music, dancing, and baking breads. In recent years, she also read at least 80 of author Danielle Steel's novels.

Helen's smile and her sense of humor will be greatly missed by her daughter Linda (Paul) Jacob, and their children, David and Naomi, of Racine; and daughter Anahid (Don) Schweikert, and their children, Olivia and Natalia, of Olive Branch, MS; her brother-in-law, Hayrabet Soukeyasian and nieces Nadia and Anahid, and nephew Arsen, all of Istanbul, Turkey; cousins Eloise (Jim) Neely of Waterloo, Belgium, Lucy (George) Stand, the Shahmelikian family, Avetissian family and others in California; Ann Dadaian, Rose Bejoian, Elsie Minassian; the Antreassian families of Racine, and other relatives.

She is further survived by many special friends including Sylvia Morrison, Anna Cherkinian, Mary Sahakian, Martha Manogian, Loretta Wahlen, Catherine Miller, Carole Kapellusch, Elizabeth Vatanian, Araxie Ketsamanian, Ann Scantling, Julie DerGarabedian, Marie Konesko, and many others.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at St. Hagop Armenian Apostolic Church, 4100 Newman Road, with Father Daniel Garabedian officiating. Interment will follow at Graceland cemetery. Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. Memorials may be made to ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­the church or the Armenian Relief Society.