Helen "Dolly" Fern Suich

To many of us, Dolly was such a kind, wonderful person. She was always positive and had an outlook on life that never wavered. She thought the best of people and refused to dwell on negative people or thoughts.

She was born in San Pedro, schooled here, married here to Paul Meliota, raised three kids, Greg, Randy and Rose (Paulette), and later in life married again to Andy Suich. Andy and Dolly moved to Idaho near West Yellowstone, where they built a life together full of close, wonderful friends and many adventures. She loved to entertain and often would cook for large dinner parties, enjoying the company of friends and making everyone feel welcome and comfortable.

When Dolly was in San Pedro, she and several other young ladies met once a month at a different member’s house for coffee and conversation. This “club” of best friends lasted several decades. When Dolly moved back to San Pedro from Idaho, she again met up with the ladies and enjoyed the company of decades long friendships.

While in Idaho, she joined ladies golf groups, various ladies’ clubs, always making and maintaining close friendships. She loved people and was very compassionate and generous.

She was a loving wife, a loving mother to Greg and Karen and later to Greg and Renate, and a beloved grandma to Lynn (Denoid) Tucker and Michele (Tony) Stephens. She especially loved kids and was very happy when Lynn had Madison, DJ, and Nate and also when Michele had Greysen.

She enjoyed time with her other son, Randy (Laura), who spent several summers with her in Idaho, making friends and having adventures. She loved walks and seeing the many animals and the natural beauty living on the lake offered. A beloved grandma to Randy’s sons, Ryan and James, she especially enjoyed Ryan’s three daughters, Reese, Avery and Paisley.

Her relationship with her daughter Rose (Doug) was special, and they shared a close bond. When Rose and Doug moved to Santa Cruz, and later to Sequim, WA, she was actively interested in what life was like. She was easy to talk to, had a lovely sense of humor, and will be missed deeply.

Dolly enjoyed her relationships with her nieces Andrea and Carolyn, her sister Rosemary’s kids, and nephews Richard and Ned, her sister Carmen’s kids, and Esther, her sister Annette’s daughter.

Over the years she got to know and enjoy Andy’s daughter, Andrea’s kids, April and Robin. There are many relatives who knew her because her mother, Carrie Portland had six daughters, Carmen, Rosemary, Juanita, Antonette and Annette (twins) and finally Helen, who got the name Dolly for being so cute.

She enjoyed reading, watching films and playing Scrabble up to the very end of her long life. She was the sweetest, kindest human we were blessed with and will be remembered always.