Helen Coburn Roth

Logan, Utah: Helen Coburn Roth, 84, passed away Sunday, June 5, 2011 at Logan Nursing and Rehabilitation center in Logan, Utah.
She was born in 1927 in Logan, Utah, the fourth child of Alta and John Coburn. After a typically happy Logan childhood she contracted polio in 1939, thereafter spending several years in children’s hospitals. This experience never dimmed her natural buoyancy and energy, nor did the resulting quadriplegia. She graduated from USU with a BS in Psychology, and later received an MS in Psychology from Penn State. This was followed by graduate studies at Harvard.
After Harvard, Helen’s life was one of service to others. She worked for several social service agencies including the Office of Economic Opportunity in San Francisco, serving under future U.S. Rep. Ron Dellums.
After returning to Logan in 1971, she worked for the Bear River Association of Governments and later founded Options for Independence, a non-profit Center for Independent Living which served people with disabilities in Cache Valley and beyond.
During this period she was also very active in disability organizations in Washington D.C. For several years she served as internal vice-president of the National Council on Independent Living, and was known as the "Queen of Proxies" for her efforts to give a vote to Western members who could not attend the meetings. She later served as national chairperson of the American Association of Disabilities for two years.
Helen received many awards for her work, culminating in a presentation by Senator Harkin of the Frank Harkin Memorial Award in 2006.
Helen was a live spark of joy and inspiration to all who knew her. She was a Rock of Gibraltar for many who leaned on her.
She is survived by Peter Grieve, her son.
A memorial service will be held on Monday, June 13, 2011 at 12:00 noon at the Logan 11th Ward Chapel, 195 S 100 East. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.allenmortuaries.net