“Promote peace, commit to solidarity, and love life.”
Yvette Helfer was born in Vallorbe in 1921. An only child, she loved school, especially French literature and languages. After finishing her studies, she first trained as an office clerk before being hired as a telephone and telegraph operator. When the war broke out, Vallorbe, being on the border, became a critical communication point where calls were urgent and important. It was at the Vallorbe telephone exchange that she received a call that would change her life: one from a lieutenant stationed at the Pré-Girou fort. One evening, he called her and, charmed by her voice, asked her to stay on the line a little longer. Their conversation continued—light and playful—until he suggested they meet. They went to Lausanne and spent a wonderful day together in Ouchy. Shortly after, she received a letter: the beginning of a love story that would last 72 years.
Optimistic and in love, they married during the war and built a strong union founded on mutual respect and independence. In 1951, they settled in Lausanne, where they raised their two children, Michel and Jocelyne, whom she cherished deeply.
After the birth of her children, Yvette Helfer devoted herself to volunteer work. At the Maternity, she supported young women who could not keep their babies after birth, and later, with a friend, she founded the Vestiaire de Terre des Hommes. At 50, she returned to work as a telephone operator at the Lausanne international information exchange. Her knowledge of German, Italian, and English proved very useful. After retiring, she worked alongside her daughter, a pastor, distributing food to people struggling with addiction and those in need, as part of the St-Laurent parish. She managed this work until 2004.
A free and sociable woman, deeply moved by the suffering of others, Yvette Helfer also became involved in politics, participating as a grassroots activist in the creation, alongside Daniel Brélaz, of the Environmental Protection Group, which would later become the Green Party.
As the years went by, her husband’s health declined; several falls made life more difficult. She cared for him with great devotion until his death in 2016. His passing was a great trial. At the age of 95, she decided to move in with her daughter.
For Yvette Helfer, living in harmony with her beliefs was always essential. She knew how a clear and optimistic outlook could give one the strength to face dark times. She attributed her longevity, in fact, to her love of life. At 102, she saw her age as a surprise—neither a gift nor a burden.
After a life rich in experiences, travels, and social commitment, Yvette Helfer leaves behind a legacy of strong convictions and love.