Helene B. Romer

June 8th, 2023

Helene and I met through a mutual friend, Elizabeth Stein. They both met at Uncle Fun, a notions shop in the neighborhood. Uncle Fun sold really silly items that made people smile. Later Helene helped Lisha organize her artwork and slides. That is when we met. Helene went far beyond what I could have imagined possible, organizing every bit of her archive. Lisha was in her mid to late 90’s . I was moved by the gesture and by Helene’s kindness. From that point forward Helene was a regular fixture in our lives. We would visit Lisha and Helene would be there. We were all artists. Lisha loved talking about art in all its forms. Helene was a remarkable artist in her own right. Her collages were thought provoking and challenging in addition to being charming and beautiful. After Lisha passed in 2006 I found Helene on Facebook or she found me. Helene had not lost any of her vitality. Her work was still strong. Her resolve to fight injustice, intolerance, and neofascist propaganda compelled me get to know her better. We both became admins of a Facebook group for artists run by feminists and artists. It had more than an Art focus. It dealt directly with our interests and goals. Helene became a leader of content creation for the page. True to her character she managed to find content that entertained and informed. It was inspiring and intelligent. In the past week Helene’s account has been hacked by a fraudulent impersonator. Many of her friends have left her profile rather than risk getting hacked themselves. We, her friends need your help. We need a family member to take control of her profile and memorialize her page. It will lock out any frauds and maintain her content. I am Patrick McDonnell McDonnell on Facebook. Please reach out if you can help.

~Patrick McDonnell
~Friend, Chicago, Illinois

February 25th, 2023

I am very saddened to find out that Helene died last year. We were close many years ago when we were both at SAIC. Life and distance separated us but I often thought of her and knew she was always doing creative things. I can still hear her wonderful laugh and I WILL MISS her. May her memory be a blessing.

~Liese Ricketts
~friend, Homewood IL

March 11th, 2022

The last time I saw Helene was when I was living in Santa Fe and she came to visit. We had so much fun! Santa Fe is a town filled with vibrant, creative people, but even there Helene shone forth like a hovering, glowing, unidentified force. She embodied creative energy that rappelled her past whatever barrier was set before her. She floated or bounced or leapt beyond expectations. Her compassion, empathy, humor and sheer life force were unmatched. I will miss her more than words can convey. The world has lost a bright source of light, energy and creativity.

~Judy Prisoc
~Friend, Gig Harbor, Washington