Helen was born in Portland on July 22, 1917, to Eldridge and Florence Trayle. Growing upon in the southwest hills of Portland with her two brothers, Howard and Ray, she attended Lincoln High School, graduating in 1936. She attended a number of art schools, including the Portland Art Museum, as she developed her skills in water color and fine arts oil painting.

In 1942 she married Orville F. Kreps and had two children, Terry D. Kreps and Raymond A. Kreps. She made her home in Cutler City on the the Oregon coast, and spent many hours painting and teaching art at the Lincoln Country Art Center in Ocean Lake. In 1954 she moved back to the family estate in Portland, where she resided for the next 57 years.

Helen was one of the finest artists in the Pacific Northwest. After 35 years of fine art portrait painting, she branched off in the late 1960s into a number of varied art forms, including stained glass work, impressionistic painting and prints. It was in prints where she excelled and concentrated her talents. Her prints were shown across the country, as far away as New York. In the art world, H.X. Trayle, her painting name, was very well known.

She was greatly loved and admired, both for her talent and her personality, and will be greatly missed.
Born: July 22, 1917 Place of Birth: Portland, OR USA Death: November 6, 2011 Place of Death: Portland, OR USA Occupation: Artist Ray Trayle, Brother Ray Kreps, Son Two grandchildren  Three great-grandchildren Terry Kreps, Son

Memorial Service

Wednesday November 16, 2011 , 11:00am at Brush and Palette Art Center

Lunch reception to follow. Private interment of remains has been scheduled at Riverview Abbey. Share your thoughts and memories in the guestbook.

Hopewell Hospice Center in Portland