Helen Marie Harvell

It is with great love and deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Helen Marie (Gryder) Harvell, who passed peacefully into the loving arms of her Lord and Savior on December 27, 2025 at Salinas Valley Medical Center in Salinas, CA. She had been diagnosed with lung cancer on October 30, 2025.

She was raised in Watsonville, CA and raised her own family in Salinas, CA. In her later years she lived in Gonzales, CA.  She spent her life taking care of her family. She had a 30-year career as an apartment manager in Salinas, starting with Lunsford Apartments, and going on to be the first manager for Boronda Manor and Brentwood Gardens Apartments.  For the past 20 years she worked for Door to Hope, Hartnell College, Department of Social Services, and Kinship Center as a mentor and teaching contractor for foster, adoptive and kinship care, and as a facilitator for supervised visitation.

Over the course of her life she attended the Country Church of God in Prunedale, CA, Northside Assembly of God and Grace Temple Pentecostal Church of God both in Salinas. Her faith was unwavering and the peace that came over her in her last months of life was beyond words. She had no doubt the angels were around her. Mom, we cry for our loss and are comforted by your faith.

She is survived by her husband and lifelong love James Andrew Harvell, daughters Brenda Ann (Harvell) Martinez and Linda Ann (Harvell) Brown, grandsons Danny Gene Brown, James Douglas Harvell, Alan Dale Harvell Arnold, granddaughter-in-law Samantha (Beardslee) Brown, and great-granddaughter Eris Jade Brown. She was friend, family, sister and mom to many in the community.

A private family gathering and memorial will take place in the future. In lieu of flowers please donate to Peace of Mind Dog Rescue (POMDR), 615 Forest Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA  93950. They focus on helping senior dogs and senior citizens, which were both causes close to her heart.