Helen (Bartlett) Hudson Lovaas

Helen (Bartlett) Hudson Lovaas was born in Gallup, New Mexico on December 16, 1938, to John Leonard and Eleanor Marie Turpen Bartlett of Winslow, Arizona. She went to be with the Lord on January 12, 2014, after a long illness.

Helen was a 1956 graduate of Temple City High School and then attended the University of Arizona. She received her B.A. in education in 1960. She married Alan Hudson and began to work at Hudson Oxygen Therapy Sales Company in Los Angeles. In 1970, the company was moved to Temecula, California, where she spent the next 38 years working in various positions until she was promoted to CEO. During her tenure, Hudson Oxygen Therapy Sales company acquired Respiratory Care Inc. of Chicago and merged the two companies to create Hudson Respiratory Care Inc. Helen retired in 1998.

Professionally, Mrs. Lovaas was an active supporter of the respiratory care industry. She was one of the first woman CEOs of a medical device company, and was a founding member and later CEO of Advamed. She served on the Board of Directors of MedMarc from 1984-94, the Board of Trustees of the American Respiratory Care Foundation from 1992-2000, and was a positive influence for many years of Health Industries Manufacturers Association (HIMA). Hudson RCI was selected as one of the top 100 women-owned businesses in the Inland Empire in 1996. Mrs. Lovaas was nominated as a 1998 Woman of Merit by the North County Times.

Helen moved to Bonsall in 1970. She and Dr. Lee Lovaas were married in 1982 and have lived in Bonsall until the present time. They both have been enthusiastic supporters of the Bonsall and Fallbrook communities.

Helen was a loving person and especially loved Jesus, her family, friends, co-workers and teaching elementary girls Sunday School classes at church. Hobbies included fishing, skiing, golf [two holes-in-one!], gardening and reading. Her Christian faith was very important to her and influenced her life and compassionate nature.

Helen is survived by her husband, Lee; sister-in-law Wanda J. Bartlett; nieces Theresa (John) Bell, Cindy (Ron) Westwood; nephew Frank L. (Michelle) Bartlett; and nine grand nieces and nephews; step-children Laurinda Lovaas, Daniel (Laura) Lovaas, Katharine (Troy) Johnson, Christine (Evan) Knuttila; and eight step-grandchildren Eric, Julia, Drew, Grace, Annalee, Christian, Dylan and Audrey.

A memorial service to honor the life of Helen Hudson Lovaas will be held on Saturday, January 25, at noon, at Emmanuel Faith Community Church, Escondido, with a reception immediately following. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Mrs. Lovaas’ memory to The Elizabeth Hospice, 500 La Terraza Blvd. #130, Escondido, CA 92025 or REINS for Life Horsemanship Program, P O Box 1283, Bonsall, CA 92003.