Helen Carter Lee
As I reflect back on this past week, realizing it will rest in history in ways we probably can’t fully imagine at present, I notice that I haven’t written about the emotional dimension of the experience of Obama’s election. In large part, that is because Wednesday morning’s glow was shattered by a tragedy here at Tides, and as buoyant as one might feel about the election of the first African American to the presidency, the passing of an honored colleague had a deeper, more resounding tone for many of us.
Like the President-elect, Helen Carter Lee was African American, and like him, she was born in the mid-west to good stock and an extended family that is mourning her deeply even as they may feel uplifted by the election. But unlike Mr. Obama, Helen didn’t lead a life of privileged education followed by an ascending ladder of leadership opportunities. But she acquired skills by dint of will and became an accomplished accountant. She worked for Tides tirelessly for 15 years or more – so long, I can’t recall where she came from before signing on. But from the day she showed up at 1388 Sutter Street, she put her head down and did the work. She was one of those critical people in any organization who simply do the work, whatever is asked of them.
In most organizations, the finance office is where the glory never is but any problems, if they occur, inevitably start. So, Helen was one of those who didn’t seek attention, but instead worked tirelessly to make sure those inevitable problems were few and far between. We’d never have experienced the growth we have over the years without Helen and her peers.
Helen made me smile, virtually every time I saw her. More often than not, she’d say, “You need a hug!” and I never turned her down. Somehow, she always knew that I did, and she also knew that CEO’s can never ask. No, she’d just do it, roles be damned. She was a woman of great compassion, which I suppose explains why she and Tides fit together so well and for so long. Our work is to support others working for social change. We believe we can make the world a better place, and even in the dark times of recent years, we just kept on trying. Helen’s attitude kept us aware of the half full glass of promise that defined our work.
As President Obama prepares to take office, there will be a great deal of jostling and sharp elbows as those that want to help steer the ship angle for positions of influence. He will need many of those people to help bring about the change that has been the theme of his campaign. But he will also need people like Helen. People who don’t need position or title, but who just want to work to help things be better out there, especially for people in need. He will need people like Helen who just put their heads down and get the work done. And he will need people like Helen who won’t be intimidated by his office, who will speak to him honestly and directly about things he may not want to hear, and who will give him a hug that he needs, but cannot ask for.
Helen departed on the day Barack Obama was elected. We will miss her more than these or any other words could say.
I have experienced great change these last two weeks - my beloved aunt has passed away after a year long battle with lung cancer. I was ecstatic that I finally felt good about voting for a Democrat again after a long decade or more hiatus. And now this….I got word from another former Tides staff presently residing in New York. Helen was the very first person upon my arrival at Tides in 1995 (just mere weeks from her own arrival) who befriended me, showed me “the ropes” and shared an office together. I saw firsthand her strong work ethic and commitment to social justice / change. We spent countless weekends together hitting the streets against Ward Connerly’s Prop. 209 attacks on affirmative action for the then nascent Californians for Justice. But above all I enjoyed Helen’s positive attitude on life, her passion for books (her place resembled a library) and video games. While I had lost touch with Helen over the years since my departure from Tides I have never forgotten the good times we shared. Rest in peace…and thank you Drummond for this blog.
Comment by Justin Probert — November 10, 2008 @ 9:58 pm
One of the drawbacks of telecommuting is that most of my interaction with co-workers is work-related. We don’t get to share desk photos of family and pets; we don’t always know when someone isn’t feeling well by the sound of their voice. We don’t know each others dreams and desires (and we don’t get hugs).
Even though Helen and I worked together for over 6 years, I am sorry to say that we didn’t really know each other well outside of work. This is partly due to the distance between Pittsburgh, PA and San Francisco, but also because where we ‘clicked’ was in the work we did together.
Helen’s attention to detail and problem-solving skills will be greatly missed. I find myself wanting to ask her opinion or advice many times a day - and realizing each time that this is no longer possible.
Helen’s devotion to her work at Tides will live on in the project she had been working on - the successful re-structuring of Tides’ accounting system. It is a fitting legacy for her.
Comment by Pam Bamberger — November 12, 2008 @ 6:49 am
I worked closely with Helen as part of a project to revamp the Tides financial management information system. On behalf of the entire project team, I want to express my sorrow and condolences to her family and friends. As a longtime member of our Tides staff, she brought a wealth of knowledge to the organization and played a large role in shaping the Finance team that is in place today. Her presence will be missed both professionally and personally from the many people she touched while working here. As Pam already noted in her comments, Helen’s spirit will continue to live on through her impact on Tides. We’ll miss you, Helen!
Comment by Bryan Malong — November 12, 2008 @ 8:02 am
I worked closely with Helen for the several months that I was at Tides focused on the new accounting system. We had a great deal of respect, admiration, and I dare say love for each other. Much of the soundness of the design of the new accounting system is due to the hours we spent arguing with each other until we both came to understand what it was that we both saw differently. Our conversations continued after I left Tides with occasional phone calls and lunches. One thing we agreed on was that, even though he was the best candidate, Barack Obama was very unlikely to be elected to be President of the United States. As delighted as I am with the outcome of the election, I am unspeakably saddened to have lost my friend Helen. I hope she lived long enough to see Obama become the President-elect.
Comment by Scott Plakun — November 26, 2008 @ 7:36 pm