Helen Jane Widmer Chambers died on Dec. 29 at Vashon Community Care Center, with her family by her side.

Chambers was born in Seattle on Sept. 1, 1917, to Lydia and Edward Widmer. Her mother died shortly after Chambers’ birth. She was raised primarily by her grandmother, who was affectionately called “Mutter,” German for mother.

Chambers graduated from Franklin High School in Seattle. She attended business school and worked for a time as a stenographer. She always had a robust sense of adventure and loved outdoor activities. She was an accomplished golfer, snow skier and water skier. As a young woman, she took the women’s title in the Pacific Northwest Water Ski Jumping Championships at Madison Park in Seattle.

Chambers married Ralph Chambers, and they had one son, William “Billy” Ralph Chambers in 1943. When Billy was an infant, Chambers took him on several trips to visit Ralph, who was in the Navy, as well as family and friends. She recalled heating Billy’s bottle on the motor of the car on their trip from San Francisco to Seattle, and the two of them sharing a bed in a roomette on the overnight Union Pacific train from Los Angeles to San Francisco.

Chambers was later divorced and raised her son on her own. She worked as a cocktail waitress, lived in various places and continued to travel and pursue her love for the outdoors. She loved sunbathing and swimming in the ocean. She visited her son in British Columbia often, where she enjoyed exploring the backcountry on her skis. Chambers continued to travel throughout her life.