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I met Helen at the Kauai Writers Conference (I can't remember which year). It was a delight to meet her and to form a connection with a fellow writers.  After that, I met her again online several times when we were both in generative writing classes with Elizabeth Rosner. Helen's writing was always from her heart and mind and as authentic as she was.  It was a pleasure to know her and I miss her. 

Unfortunately I didn’t get to be part of Helen’s celebration of life with Sade ,Tommie , and all of you there . My sincere love and compassion was . I haven’t listened to the video and look forward to hearing about many of Helen friends and family along the way.

I want to share just how , I met Helen. Lol, It was a hoot !

I had an add in the newspaper looking for someone to rent our home. Helen was the first one to respond and the last

It was around the year 2006,Helen and Charleen drove from New Mexico where they previously lived. As they were driving up to our house there car looked like it was seriously on its last leg and all their luggage all piled in . When they opened the door they had to move things around ,just to get out . Successfully they did and than proudly introduced themselves . . Mind you , never met them ,Ok . . Didn’t check their history to make sure they were legit and responsible , and weren’t just friendly criminals looking to rent in a nice place in old town of Santa Rosa ,California .My husband, beside himself, being a person from Indiana. (A Hoosier hippie )freaked out.as I told him. “They’re moving in ,done deal,” he replied “And you didn’t check history”. There car is falling apart ,so how do you expect them to pay rent “ ! To funny , right .! Well being me, and with back ground of being an outgoing intuitive person , said ,”They are good people ,Don’t judge a book by its cover.My partner knew that I had some kind of 6 sense, but also knew my 6 sense could of been a bit distorted as I wasn’t always grounded into it. Psychic or sick-it. 😆 . In any case, there was a strong connection . None of the exterior stuff mattered . . In all honestly There energy was honest ,sincere ,with a good sense of humor . Within 7 seconds, my decision was made.. We were talking as if we known each other, forever. It was too cute . You had to be there. For me , It was YES at Hello I never heard of Helen’s book (7 seconds decision making )till much later after they moved in . Sade came to live full time with them a few months later and all 3 became our best amazing neighbors,ever. Story after story. Helen had a way about herself:authentic ,honest and as real as they come .Charlene being an artist with many stories as well ,always kept life interesting .She was a true delight .Sade who was in her teens , young ,full of life , lots of passion ,the horses in, funny and as kind as can be , She was so adored and loved dearly by both Helen and Charlene .Helen definitely spoke her truth , from great belly laughs to down right gut wenching reality . I was so blessed to have them as neighbors . We counted on each other, support each other .We had so many good times together with so much in common :our spiritual beliefs , the way we look at the world and our values in life and list goes on . Helen became an inspirational mentor to Kevin and I . She helped get through challenging times ,from the loss of my daughter .She did reading on us and gave us insights that enabled us to navigate through the hard times . Than a few years later Charlene passed away and times were heavy with grief .Sade lost her grandmother who she loved like a mother .Helen lost her beloved partner and best friend,after years of being together. We were away in Costa Rica at that time for 3 month visit . We were only able to provide as much support from where we were , but when we came back ., Helen’s faith and trust gave her the strength and courage to be at peace with the loss and knew Charlene was in a better place and free from all her pain she had survived.It was so interesting how our lives were so intertwined . Even though we right behind them in our studio we were respectful to each other space when needed .We had our separate lives except when it came to Food !!. So funny, because all of us loved food but Helen didn’t take the same joy in cooking as Kev and I ,so periodically I would bring food over and we either eat together or I just knock on the door , greeted by sweet Chaco there angel dog and me with Bogie ,my angel dog . Chaco and Bogie were good friends . It like Mutt and Jeff, Bogie a Labrador and Chaco small but mighty.

So many years with so many fond memories From good old fashioned belly laughs , tears of joy ,to heart breaking moments, of loss ,grief and just life’s growing pains .. They were my family. I don’t know how I would have gotten by , if I didn’t say yes in 7 seconds. We were surly meant to be part of each other’s path . No coincidences . I was a true believer in her book and in Helen .. Helen was not just book smart,a professor,she was ,heart smart , the best kind. She taught me through example not just by words . she lived life with dignity , grace , compassion ,authentic as one comes. A woman with integrity. I am grateful and honored to have Helen to be such such a good friend and anchor in my life .A powerful women indeed . I can only inmagine what kind of racket she is stirring up on the other side😉

I love Helen and forever will . .

Thank you Helen for being the best of you here and so giving of yourself always with love . Now you are free . Nothing to hold you back, not like ever did😉

Your soul is home and spirit is free

With much respect ,honor ,gratitude and love . See you soon on the flip side .. 🙏✨💖🦋

Thank you ,Sade, for arranging this beautiful way to honor Helen , not your biological mother but much more than that,a mother of heart . Helen’s love is not just inside you ,she lives though with her big smiles and belly laughs and all those you touch along your way . Love you Sade . Wish I could have found all the photos I had . For now have to settle for the beautiful memories.

It was a blessing to know Helen and an honor to write with her. I always leaned from her beautiful, wise reflections. Sending love and light to her family.
Hearts and thoughts with all Helen's loved ones; and I know there are so very many as she loved so freely and fiercely..xo
Helen was a gift to everyone she met.  Her smile drew us in, her empathy sustained us.
Helping hands

In lieu of flowers

Please consider a donation to any cause of your choice.

One of the many facets of Helen’s service was her work as an ordained Minister in the Eternal Life Church.

We know that Helen was a deeply spiritual Being. A teacher as well as a seeker.

While living in Santa Fe, NM, she learned of this Church of Ministers. She was ordained as a Minister in August 2006 by one of our founders, Bishop Mary Lou Cook.

In 2014, when I became the President of the Board of Directors of the Church, I immediately asked Helen if she would be willing to serve on our Board. Knowing Helen, there was no doubt that she would contribute based on her education, her experience, her intuition and her deep commitment to serving others. That is precisely what she did.

With her soft voice and her gentle ways, she would ALWAYS speak truth. When others shied away from speaking up, Helen would point out the “elephant in the room” - the issue others were hesitant to address. When we, as a group, missed a key/vital point, Helen always saw it and spoke it.

In 2023, recognizing that all organizations evolve or die, I asked Helen if she would be willing to lead a series of meetings for our Board. These meetings were designed for Succession Planning. How would we, as a Church, grow in the 21st Century and meet the needs of those we served? Helen agreed to do so.

Her contributions to our organization, back then, continue to be relevant and effective in our work now. She guided us well.

Last Fall, as her health declined, Helen told me she needed to resign from the Board. At the last meeting she attended, we honored her and acknowledged the many ways she had influenced us all. During that meeting, I shared the links below, listing a few of Helen’s accomplishments.

Finally, as Helen’s friend, I am filled with Gratitude for the privilege of having known her. I am a better person because of her. Her way of Being deeply affected me and continues to do so.

Bless your huge Heart and your brilliant Soul, precious Helen.

Thank you for Everything.

We love you.

Thank you Sade, for giving us this venue to speak of Helen.

https://www.thehistorymakers.…

https://www.thehistorymakers.…

https://drhelenstewart.com/20…

https://drhelenstewart.com/ab…

https://www.amazon.com/stores…

https://www.youtube.com/watch…

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I am truly sorry to be unable to join the Zoom for the memorial, but please know that I adored and admired Helen far beyond my ability to express these feelings through mere words. We met when she attended my master class at the Kauai Writers Conference a few years ago, and she continued to write with some of my Zoom classes after that. The breadth of her dazzlingly brilliant mind was equaled by the exquisite depth of her soul, and I felt privileged to bear witness to the work she was still creating toward the very end of her remarkable life. I will never forget the fierce gleam in her eyes when she said to me, the first day we met, "You are the Real Deal." And oh how I miss the sparkle of her wit! Sending much love to all who knew her and especially to all the beloveds she leaves behind. May her memory be a blessing.

Love and condolences to Helena’s family.

Knowing Helen blessed my life. She was a dynamic woman who was filled with insight and wisdom. Her bright eyes and radiant smile warmed my heart. I miss dear Helen.

Stacey Cook-Polk

On a trip to East Berlin with…
1966, Along the Rhine River in Germany
On a trip to East Berlin with our mothers — with Christine Harris and Helen Stewart
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Remembering Helen

I first met Helen Stewart in 1974, when I was an undergraduate at Brandeis University. She was an inspiring teacher, mentor, and friend. Using sociology, she studied and fought prejudice and social oppression her entire life. At the center of her life were her highest values: wisdom, integrity, and compassion.

Helen was born in 1943, in Lynchburg, Virginia, to Lucy Juanita Hampton and James Edward Woodson Stewart. From the start, it was clear she would live a life both extraordinary and unconventional.

She spent her early years in France, graduating from Poitiers American High School. She was fluent in French and spoke German well. She earned her Bachelor’s in sociology at Boston University and her Ph.D. from Brandeis University. She did post-doctoral work at Harvard.

Helen’s career was remarkable and she lived a life of service. She worked as a rural sociologist with the United Nations in West Africa, served as a French interpreter for the U.S. State Department, lectured around the world, and even hosted a radio program in Santa Fe. She was an early member of the Combahee River Collective. She taught at Brandeis, Wellesley, and Harvard, and went on to leadership posts at San Francisco State University, Sonoma State University, and Rider University. In 1999, she founded the University of Metaphysical Studies, blending her scholarship with her lifelong exploration of the spiritual. She built a consulting practice working with both individuals and businesses, based on her method of “Seven Second Decision Making,” later captured in her book Seven Seconds or Less.

She moved to Hawaiʻi in 2011 and she loved her life here. She became a beloved and well-respected member of our ‘ohana, or family. She stayed in contact weekly with her family, especially uncle Lawrence Hampton and granddaughter Sadé Cain. They both visited her in Honolulu.

Most recently her volunteer work included serving on the Honolulu County Committee on the Status of Women, on Brandeis University’s Alumni Board, and on the Dean's Cabinet for the Brandeis Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. She was celebrated by the HistoryMakers and and in-depth interview and records of her life are in their online archive and housed at the Library of Congress.

Tragically, Helen was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer, spread to her bones, in 2015. They gave her three to six weeks to live. She fought valiantly for ten more years, living a full life. She embodied the Seth philosophy that we create our own reality.

As we all do, I miss Helen’s laugh, wise counsel, and quips, “there you have it!”. Her love and our bond lives within me. I am forever grateful to have walked beside her on this remarkable journey.

Here are some photos of her life: http://bit.ly/3JcbMqx

With much aloha,

Sunny Pai

Honolulu, Hawaiʻi

September 28, 2025

See:

Helenʻs website: https://drhelenstewart.com/

Historymakers: https://www.thehistorymakers.…

Amazon Author Page:   https://bit.ly/3VFqNUM

Brandeis Graduate Studies Dean's Committee: https://bit.ly/4nVDuXv

Wikipedia: Combahee River Collective: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki…

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Helen "Squeak" Stewart