ashland.news
December 8, 2023

Obituary: Helena Louise Lentfer Sohl

Hermine "Helena" Sohl served as board president of the Ashland Community Health Center, where she volunteered for many years.
March 28, 2023

August 21, 1934 — March 4, 2023

Hermine “Helena” Louise Lentfer Sohl passed peacefully, surrounded by loving family on March 4, 2023, in Ashland.

Helena was born Aug. 21, 1934, to Hank and Rose Lentfer in Livingston, Montana. She spent her summers in and around Yellowstone Park and Flathead Lake, Montana. She graduated from Montana State University in June of 1955 with a degree in education and was married to Jack Sohl of Great Falls, Montana, the day after her graduation.

Helena gave birth to two sons, Bryan and Eric. She then obtained a master’s degree in nursing from Sacramento State University. She worked a satisfying career as a school nurse at San Juan High School and El Camino High School in the Sacramento area. Later she was a public health nurse in Napa, California.

She was a passionate biker. Helena biked in Europe, the length of the Oregon Coast, and then from the coast to Ashland over the Bear Camp Road. She also biked to Ashland from Sacramento to attend the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

She moved to Ashland in 1991 to be near family. For a while she worked in the office of Dr. Bill Sager. While in Ashland she was very active in the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. Helena served as a volunteer for many years at the Ashland Food Bank. She served on the board of the food bank and also the Ashland Community Health Center, where she served as board president. She was a beloved member of Ashland’s Presbyterian and Congregational churches as well as the Buddhist community.

Helena is survived by her brother Jack, her son Bryan, six grandchildren and one great-grandson.  She is preceded in death by her parents and her son Eric. She was buried March 6 in a beautiful snowy service at the Forest Conservation Burial Ground at Willow-Witt Ranch during a wonderful snowstorm.

Helena’s memorial will be held starting at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 27, at the Ashland Congregational United Church of Christ, 717 Siskiyou Blvd.

Obituaries may be submitted to Ashland.news via our online article submission form, or via email to news@ashland.news, with a photo or two attached if desired. Please be sure to include dates of birth and death, and reference to connections to Ashland/Talent/Southern Oregon. Please allow a few days for posting. There is no charge. Those wishing to make a donation supporting the Ashland.news service may do so here.

March 28 update: Due to a scheduling conflict, the celebration of life may have to be held on a date other than originally announced.

April 9 update: Memorial time and date added and name of organization for which she served as board president corrected.

Jim

Jim

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