Decemeber 22, 2021
Page 11
In Rememberance
Obituary
In Loving Memory
Mary Helen
Henderson-Calvin
It is with great sadness we announce the earthly
departure of our beloved mother and grandmother,
Mary Helen Henderson-Calvin.
Born on July 26, 1930 in Madison, Miss., Mary
Helen took her eternal rest on Dec. 17, 2021 in
Portland. Mary Helen moved to Oregon from Mis-
sissippi and worked as a nurse’s aide at Multnomah
County Hospital before it became Oregon Health
Sciences University.
As one of less than 10 women of color in the
medical field in the area at the time, Mary Helen
worked to purchase her home in North Portland
in an Albina community neighborhood that grew
to accommodate the Black-led Center for Self En-
hancement. She often shared with friends and fam-
ily how she remembered when Unthank Park was
constructed and named after Portland’s first Afri-
can American doctor, Dr. DeNorval Unthank. After
showing what a hard-worker she was, she was able
to advocate for other people of color to obtain jobs
in the hospital.
Under the leadership of the late Rev. Dr. OB
Williams, Mary Helen joined Vancouver Avenue
First Baptist Church where she remained a mem-
Happy Holidays?
You’ve likely heard it said that even
positive changes can cause stress.
Even more likely, you’ve probably lived
the truth of that statement. The holidays
are a perfect example. We all seem to
swing from the happy anticipation of
being with loved ones to the stress of
meal planning and holiday shopping.
Coupled with the ongoing changes
brought on by public health concerns,
it’s a lot — a lot of stress brought on
by change.
For some, turning to gambling seems
like a harmless way to cope with the
changes brought on by
the season.
Unfortunately,
what starts
out as a positive
way to reduce
For more information, visit
ber, under the leadership of Pastor J.W. Matt Hen-
nessee until her passing.
While many will remember the purple house
on the corner of Failing and Haight, her memo-
ry will live on through her children, grandchil-
dren, great-grandchildren and a host of family
and friends.
A celebration of life will be held on Jan. 7 at 11
a.m. at Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church.
stress can swing to the other extreme,
bringing on the overwhelming stress of
losing control. For some, stepping away
from gambling as a coping strategy
becomes nearly impossible.
Help is Available
Luckily, here in Oregon, help is
available. Through the Oregon
Problem Gambling Resource (OPGR),
gamblers and those who love them
can get support from trained addiction
counselors, often right from home.
Treatment is effective. People are
ready and waiting to provide
mechanisms to cope and to heal.
And, best of all, it’s free.
Most people who get started with
OPGR report that they only
wish they had done so
sooner. The program helps
see you through some of
the challenges ahead
and give you the
confidence and the
support structure to
feel better. All it takes
is a phone call, a
text or an online
chat to put you
on the path
toward the truly
happy holiday
season you
deserve.