My mother: Helen Rose Anderson Adkins (1915-2014) A life well-lived

One Perfect Rose
A single flow'r he sent me, since we met. 
All tenderly his messenger he chose; 
Deep-hearted, pure, with scented dew still wet - 
One perfect rose.  Dorothy Parker


Long-time Twin Falls County resident and community benefactor Helen Rose Anderson Adkins died Jan. 25, 2014 at Bridgeview Assisted Living facility. She was 98.

Helen Rose was born March 19, 1915 in Salmon, Idaho to the Rev. Ellis and Mable Crabtree, the third of three children. Her mother's maiden name was Morgan.

In her first years she moved with her family several times as her father, a Methodist minister, served churches in Mountain Home, Salmon, Richfield and Filer. In the early 1920s, he left the ministry, began farming near Twin Falls and launched a pickle-making business. The Crabtrees also ran a boarding house on Addison Avenue where the basement was used for pickle production. Helen Rose helped her mother with the boarding house operation.

Helen Rose graduated from Twin Falls High School in 1933 and attended Idaho State University. She worked for the Idaho Power Co. as an electric appliance demonstrator before marrying Jeff T. Anderson Jr. in 1937.

The couple moved to the Anderson farm southwest of Twin Falls where Helen Rose made her home for the next 73 years. Through those years, Helen Rose supported her husband's election to the Twin Falls School Board in the 1950s and his presidency of the Idaho State School Trustees Association in the 1960s. She was active in the United Methodist Church, 20th Century Club and served as president of  PEO Chapter AI in 1968.

When her two daughters were school-age, Helen Rose was an active 4-H leader and worked on behalf of numerous school- and community-related projects. For many years, she arranged bouquets for the Twin Falls Memorial Hospital Auxiliary flower shop.

Helen Rose was widowed in 1990 after 53 years of marriage to “J.T.” but continued to live and manage the farm in collaboration with her long-time contract farmers, Debi and Andy Loughmiller.

At age 79, she met and married Howard Adkins, retired judge and attorney from Shoshone. The couple enjoyed life at the farm as well as many travel adventures and family experiences in their nine years together. During those years, Helen and Howard were honored in 1999 for their generous donation to the College of Southern Idaho. Together, they established an endowed scholarship for CSI students.

After Howard’s death in 2003, Helen Rose remained at the farm until a hip fracture forced a move to Bridgeview Assisted Living in Twin Falls where she enjoyed her last years with a caring staff.

She was loved by her family and admired by friends for her positive and engaged outlook, her enjoyment of life and people. She always saw the positives of every situation and was loving and generous to all those she met and knew.

Helen Rose is survived by her daughter Julia Anderson (Kenneth Giles), Woodland, Washington and daughter, Jane Anderson, Boise; two step-children, John Adkins (Maria Donnelly), Shoshone and Marsha Eden, Twin Falls; two grandsons, Peter Intravartolo, Seattle, and Jeff Intravartolo, Kennewick, Washington and one great-grandson, Jason Intravartolo. Her extended family includes seven step-grandchildren.

Helen Rose was preceded in death by her brother, Donald Crabtree, noted international Paleolithic flint tool authority and her sister, Virginia Hack.

She will be remembered by all who knew her as an exceptionally bright, loving and articulate woman who enjoyed gardening, cooking, sewing, entertaining and travel. A child of the Great Depression, she was a smart investor, savvy farm manager and liked talking politics and sports.

​ Life will be less interesting, less joyful because Helen Rose is gone. At her request in lieu of flowers, please send donations in her memory to the College of Southern Idaho Foundation, Twin Falls, Idaho.

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