Helen Norma Cool

Helen Norma Cool went to be with her Lord and Savior on October 1, 2025. She was born at the ranch house on Christmas Eve, 1928. The oldest of four daughters born to Walter and Dorothy (Felker) Griffith of Manson, Washington. She lived a long, fruitful and full life. Being the oldest daughter on a Depression era farm and ranch family, she had to learn and do all the chores from feeding, working and gathering cattle, starting colts, putting up hay, irrigating, and thinning and picking apples. Her dad was a partner in the Lake Chelan Boat Company, and she also worked on the tugboat that brought logs down lake to the shook mill, cooked on the barge, worked in the snack bar on the Lady of the Lake. When she was a teenager, they were filming “Courage of Lassie” at the head of the lake, and she was hired by MGM to be Elizabeth Taylor’s companion during production. During the late 40s and early 50s she was quite a barrel racer and never lost her love of the rodeo arena. She attended each of the first 90 Lake Chelan Rodeos as spectator, competitor, ticket seller, and to watch her grandkids compete.

She attended schools in Manson and graduated from Manson High School in 1946 and was the Manson Apple Blossom Festival Princess that year, as well. Following high school, she worked on the family ranch, boat company, and sawmill and at Lake Chelan Hospital. She married Jim Cool on June 3, 1963, and they made their home in Chelan. She worked alongside Jim raising cattle, operating an outfitter business packing hunters and fishermen into the mountains, and operating their custom meat cutting business. She was a horsewoman of the highest order, could pack a mule, tend a garden, raise chickens and rabbits, make jam, can pickles, and cook anything that involved meat, potatoes and gravy. She and Jim had two boys and spent many days camping, hunting and fishing in the Methow River and its tributaries. She was her kids and grandkids biggest fan and traveled to fairs, rodeos, and sporting events to watch them compete. She loved hunting grouse and mule deer in the fall and fishing for everything, whether lake, river, stream or ocean. After the boys flew the nest, she and Jim traveled the Northwest rodeo circuit with the Lazy HK rodeo company where Jim flanked bucking horses. She loved to cook and can and fed every kid in the neighborhood with extra plates on the table almost every night. She was a charter and lifetime member of the Chelan FFA Alumni Association.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband. Her sisters Luella Rushing, Mildred Southwick, and Alice Hanson. Her daughter in law Cherrie Cool. She is survived by her sons Rod Cool of Chelan, Aaron Cool and his wife Carolyn of Stevens Point Wisconsin. Grandchildren, Tucker Cool and his wife Haley of Davenport and Sammi Jo Sims and her husband Clyde of Ellensburg. Great Grandchildren Waylon Cool, Bryndle Cool, Cleo Sims, Murphie Sims, Ryette Sims, and Theo Sims.

A graveside service will take place at Noon on Saturday, October 25 at Riverview Cemetery in Chelan with a dinner to follow at the Chelan Rustlers Clubhouse, 1099 N Bradley St. in Chelan.