City Hall mourns one of its own

Alicia Robinson

When you sit on a bench to take in the charm of Balboa Island, give a

little thanks to Helen Wick.

A receptionist and assistant to Newport Beach’s mayors for more

than 14 years, Wick died Friday after an 11-year battle with cancer.

She was 71.

In addition to her work for the city, Wick was an active member of

the Balboa Island Improvement Assn., and despite her illness, she

served on its beautification committee until about two months ago.

She lived on the island for 12 years and in Newport Beach for 20

years.

She helped decorate the island for its annual parade, and she

worked on other enhancements -- landscaping, improving the bridge and

getting new benches for the island, said Marianne McDaniel, who is

also in the improvement association

Down at City Hall, Wick’s co-workers are already feeling the void.

She was always joking, even about her cancer, and she kept working

right up to the end of her life.

“I don’t think anybody realized how she touched each one of us in

her own separate way, because she was always kind of quiet and

unassuming in her role at City Hall,” said Councilman Tod Ridgeway,

who worked with Wick during his two terms as mayor.

“I’d have to show up Monday morning, give her all my appointments,

phone numbers, people’s names, and she made sure I went to them.”

Wick loved to dress up at Halloween, but she kept a stash of candy

in her desk drawer year-round, assistant city manager Dave Kiff wrote

in an e-mail.

When Wick had to use a wheelchair to get around, she’d ring a

bicycle bell to announce she was coming down the hall. In the office

the day before she died, she was joking as she always did and making

sure Kiff got all his work done.

Working helped her get her mind off being sick, said Don “Jake”

Wick, who was married to Helen for 43 years.

“It made her feel better to get up and get dressed and get out of

the house,” he said.

The couple has three daughters, one son, and nine grandchildren,

and family was also very important to Helen, Don Wick said.

Everyone remembered that she never complained about being ill. She

was always well-dressed, and she joked with everyone.

“She made a big impact down here,” said Mayor Steve Bromberg, who

also was Wick’s neighbor on Balboa Island. “You’d meet her -- you’re

instantly her friend.”

Services for Helen Wick are scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Thursday at

Pacific View Memorial Park, 3500 Pacific View Drive, Corona del Mar.