Helen Tanner Beaton waited until just after her 93rd birthday before passing on. She was born Aug 12, 1931 and died Aug 16, 2024. She died peacefully in her home in Phoenix AZ in the small hours of the morning with her two daughters present, Joan, who was living with her mother, and Mary Anne, who had come from Talent Oregon. Helen is survived by her children, Joan R. Beaton, N. Eldon Tanner of Washington UT, Mary Anne and Dean Cropper of Talent OR, Richard and Sharon Williams of Phoenix AZ, and her step-son Derrick Beaton.
Helen joined her beloved husband, John (Jack) Beaton who preceded her in death in 2000. Her dear parents, N.Eldon Tanner and Sara Isabelle Tanner, and her sisters, Ruth Doxey, Isabelle Jensen, Zola Rhodes, and Beth Spackman, have also been waiting for her on the other side of the veil, just like they had waited for the birth of their baby Helen.
Mom was born at the beginning of the Great Depression in the small, rural town of Cardston, Alberta Canada. Her family moved to Edmonton when she was 5 and she attended school there. She married Lowell Leavitt Williams at 19, and they raised their four children in Calgary, with short stints in Montreal Quebec, Hope, B.C. and Ottawa Ontario. Lowell and Helen were divorced in 1971.
Helen purchased a high-end ladies’ clothing store, La Boutique, in Calgary and began her career as a fashionista and business woman, with no training, experience, or education in the field. Helen married Jack Beaton shortly thereafter. Jack and Helen lived in Calgary for a short time and then moved with Mary Anne and Richard to Phoenix AZ. They purchased a small clothing shop in a resort in Scottsdale, named it Beaton’s, and Helen began the adventure that occupied much of the next three decades. They opened shops in Phoenix, Tucson, and La Jolla. Later Joan and Eldon moved from Canada and began their families in Phoenix. Mary Anne and Richard also started their married lives near Helen and Jack who thrived on having family at the center of their lives. When they retired, they moved to Ashland OR where they had bought property, and then once again, successfully lobbied much of their family to relocate, this time to the Rogue Valley.
During their time in Phoenix, Jack joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the two of them devoted much of their time, talents and treasure to serving and becoming disciples of Christ. They served in numerous Ward and Stake callings in Scottsdale, Medford, GrantsPass, and Central Point Stakes. They served a full-time mission together in Manchester England for 18 months from 1993-1994. They traveled together and with family all over the world.
There has never been a time when Helen has not put her family first. We have been in the forefront of her mind, heart and actions even when she was traveling for work or pleasure, even when she was working or meeting with one of the educational or corporate boards she sat on. Family always came first, and Helen and Jack were lavish with their love, affection, time and resources.
Helen is also survived by 20 grandchildren, 16 spouses of grandchildren, 52 great grandchildren, and 2 great great grandchildren. With her children and their spouses, that’s 96 people who call her Mom, Grandma, or GiGi. Of those who call her Aunt Helen, or mentor, boss, counselor, president, sister in the gospel, soul sister, mentoring sister, fashion coordinator, matriarch, traveling buddy, model of all things elegant, shiner of light, teacher, counselor, friend, rescuer, influencer, lifter, the number of souls is beyond countable.
A Memorial Service for Helen’s family and friends will be held on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. November 30th at 10:00 AM in the Arcadia Ward chapel. 4225 N.56th St. Phoenix 85018
Arrangements by Bunker’s Garden Chapel, www.bunkerfuneral.com. Should this obituary appear anywhere but bunkerfuneral.com, please check our website for accurate details and service information.
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