Helen Espinola Pfaff

After enjoying a very fulfilling life, Helen (Espinola) Pfaff, 92, passed away peacefully and surrounded by her loving family praying the rosary at her bedside on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at her home in Kansas City, MO. She will be forever remembered and cherished as a caring and loving mother, wife, sister, daughter, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and friend.

Helen was born on February 3, 1934 in San Salvador, El Salvador, Central America to her parents, Mauro Espinola Castro and Elena Velazquez Castro de Espinola. She grew up in a prominent household where her father was in the limelight as a Military General and Minister of Foreign Relations, who in 1948 ran for political office as a Candidate for President in El Salvador. She was constantly surrounded by a loving family with her adventurous mother, one sister and two brothers. She was a genuinely kind, loving and compassionate person.

She graduated from Maria Auxiliadora High School in San Salvador, El Salvador, Central America. She asked her father if she could study in the United States to learn English. He gave her his blessing and she moved to San Francisco, CA in 1951 when she was 17 years old. Helen enrolled into Notre Dame High School, primarily to learn English and she also worked at the Levi’s factory sewing inseams and ironing jeans.

Later during her time in California, she met John Vokolek. They were married for 10 years and enjoyed being entrepreneurs while creating many restaurant businesses throughout the southern region of California. They later moved to Kansas City to do the same. Years after their divorce, she was blessed to find love again with Howard B. Pfaff and they married on September 30, 1967. She was fortunate enough to become a homemaker and enjoy their two beautiful children; Brenda (Pfaff) Rush and Lenny Pfaff. They were married for 42 lovely years from 1967 – 2009, when Howard passed away on October 1, 2009.

Helen loved animals, enjoyed traveling, taking care of her dogs, going to the casino and eating at the Diamond Lounge while playing Canasta with her friends, playing bingo, shopping at Walmart at all hours of the night, visiting with family and friends, and spending time with her grandchildren: Elena (Rush) Jordan and Connor Rush and greatgrandchildren: Theodore Graham Jordan and Lucy Elena Jordan.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents: Mauro Espinola Castro and Elena Velazquez Castro de Espinola; husband: Howard B. Pfaff; brothers: Mauro Espinola and Alfredo Espinola; sister: Blanca Lillian Espinola de Pineda. She is survived by and will be enormously missed by her children: Brenda (David) Rush and Lenny Pfaff; grandchildren: Elena (Richard) Jordan and Connor Rush; greatgrandchildren: Theodore Graham Jordan and Lucy Elena Jordan, as well as many more beloved family members and friends.

The family will be receiving guests on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church (2 E. 75th St., Kansas City, MO 64114). The Visitation will be held prior to the service from 12:00-1:00 pm, Rosary from 1:00-1:30 pm, Celebration of Life Mass from 1:30-2:30 pm. Then, directly afterwards, interment at Johnson County Memorial Gardens (11200 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, KS 66210).

In Lieu of Flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Association or Interim Hospice of Kansas City.

The family would like to thank the staff and community of KU Medical Center for all of their loving care of Helen this past month, as well as Interim Hospice. May Helen rest eternally in God’s loving arms.

Fond memories and condolences for the family may be left at www.johnsoncountychapel.com (Arrangements: Johnson County Funeral Chapel & Memorial Gardens, 913-451-1860).