ORONO and GORHAM – Helen J. Wolfhagen, 89, died peacefully in her sleep Feb. 19, 2011, at Springbrook Center, Westbrook. Helen was born July 28, 1921, in Salem, Ore., to Thomas and Mary (Cone) Acheson.
Thomas Acheson was a Methodist minister and Helen was raised in Boise, Idaho; Tacoma, Wash.; and other northwest communities as the family moved from congregation to congregation. Helen received her Bachelor of Science degree from Willamette University, Salem, Ore., in 1942, and married Robert Stephey. Some of her fondest memories were of traveling with Bob throughout the U.S. as he received training with the Army Air Force. Unfortunately, Bob was lost in the Pacific during the last weeks of the war. After this, Helen continued her education at the University of California, Berkeley, obtaining a doctorate in chemistry in 1948. Helen met Jim Wolfhagen, who was also raised in Oregon, while both of them studied chemistry at Berkeley. Helen and Jim married in 1948. They were married for 58 years until Jim’s death in March 2006. Helen worked as a teaching assistant at the University of California between 1945 and 1948, and as an instructor at Whitworth College, Spokane, Wash., between 1949 and 1952. In 1951, Jim completed his doctorate and in 1952, Helen and Jim moved to the University of Maine, Orono. Helen taught chemistry as a lecturer at the University of Maine from 1964 until her retirement in 1986. Helen was active in American Association of University Women; Orono-Old Town Kiwanis; Intown Arts Center and Gallery, Bangor; and Bangor Art Society. Helen was an active artist for 40 years.
Helen is survived by her brother, Tom Acheson of Winthrop, Wash.; her sister, Mary Libby of Portland, Ore.; and by the families of her three children, Roger Acker-Wolfhagen and his wife, Nancy, of Gorham, Margaret Pease and her husband, Carl, of Windsor, and Carl Wolfhagen and his wife, Ellen, of Olympia, Wash. Helen is also survived by seven grandchildren, Anne and Jonathan Acker-Wolfhagen, Shannon Enman, Elizabeth Savery, Jennifer Turnbull, Eli and Jesse Wolfhagen; and four great-grandchildren, Braden Enman and Elizabeth, Molly and Rebekah Turnbull. Helen has touched the lives of many students and many friends throughout the years, including Inna and Katya Bezborodko.
Gifts in Helen’s memory may be donated to the endowment funding the James L. and Helen J. Wolfhagen Award for students of chemistry, University of Maine Foundation, Two Alumni Place, Orono, ME 04469.