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Obituary for Helen Winter 'Bice' McNaughton
Helen was born June 28, 1925 in Salinas, Calif., to Lewis and Alice Winter and died Jan. 29, at the age of 88, at home in Dixon. She grew up in Ione, Calif., and graduated from Ione High School. She went to college in Corvallis, OR., only to return to Calif., because it rained too much in Oregon. She continued her education at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif., earning her Master’s Degree in education. Helen began her teaching career at Linden High School; she was the Home Economics Instructor and the Future Homemakers of America Advisor. When the family moved to Dixon in 1961, she began teaching at East Dixon Elementary (now Anderson Elementary), she taught the educationally challenged for 10 years and then transferred to 3rd grade. Students that were in her 3rd grade class remember the square dancing that she taught for the music program. She retired after 35 years and began to take classes in quilting. She became a prolific quilter making between 10 and 12 quilts a year. Everyone in her family got quilts for Christmas. She also enjoyed traveling; making trips to Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, and Germany along with several states in the continental U.S. She was always learning about the history of the areas she visited on the family vacations. Helen never met a stranger that did not become a friend; she could sit on a bench and begin to talk to anyone and everyone. Helen also enjoyed her yard and garden; she would garden in the summer and quilt in the winter. Helen was preceded in death by her first husband, William E. Bice in 1955 and her second husband, John “Buster” McNaughton in 1970. Helen was also preceded in death by her parents, and a sister, Esther. She is survived by her daughters, Meda Benefield of Dixon, Pamela (George) Crowder of Carmichael, Renae (Zinn) Boudreaux of Dixon and her son, Tod Bice of Dixon. She also had five grandchildren, Patrick, Angele, Missy, Troy and Kym. There are seven great-grandchildren. Helen also has two sisters, Patricia Mothorn of Colfax and Betty Searcy of Ione and several nieces and nephews. Helen was laid to rest on Saturday, Feb. 1, in a private graveside service at Ione, alongside her first husband, mother and father. In lieu of flowers the family asked that donations be made to Ione Community United Methodist Church, PO Box 1046, Ione, Calif 95640.
