BARTLING, Helen Marie (Warneka) 1926-2018

BARTLING, WARNEKA, PLAUTZ

Posted By: K.L. Kittleson
Date: 1/3/2019 at 12:21:48

Helen M. Bartling

Helen Marie Bartling, age 92, of Waukon and formerly of West Des Moines and Waterloo, died Monday, December 31, 2018 at the Good Samaritan Society Nursing Home in Waukon.

She was born January 18, 1926 in Waterloo, the daughter of Clarence and Edith (Plautz) Warneka. Helen graduated from Waterloo East High School with the Class of 1944 and attended Northwestern College in Minneapolis. She was united in marriage with Burton Louis Bartling on April 23, 1948 in Waterloo. He preceded her in death on November 6, 1971.

Helen was the bookkeeper at Associated Home Improvement for many years, owned and operated by their family until Burton’s death in 1971. She also served as a hostess at Freeman’s Café for 10 years and taught piano lessons for over 30 years. She was a former member of Hagerman Baptist Church in Waterloo. Her whole life was dedicated to her Savior and her family.

Helen was saved as a youth at Walnut Street Baptist Church in Waterloo. She began playing the piano at church and became an accomplished pianist. She learned to enlarge hymns and wrote her own arrangements which she used in churches her entire life. She taught piano to many students all the way to age 88. Helen also enjoyed her time as a secretary at Walnut Street Baptist Church under the direction of Robert T. Ketchum.

Widowed at age 45, Helen was a wonderful example to her children of trust and faithfulness to her Savior. She continued to trust him and serve him all of her days.

Survivors include 3 daughters, Wilma (Mike) Griffin of Ankeny, IA, Joan (Dave) Wasson of West Chicago, IL, and Peggy (Mel) Walker of Clarks Summit, PA; 3 sons, Alan Bartling of Sandpoint, ID, Tom (Julie) Bartling of Waterville, IA and Jeff (Doreen) Bartling of Sarasota, FL; 18 grandchildren, Tammy, Heidi, Renee, Keri, Ryan, Jon, Kristi, Todd, Travis, Eric, Jason, Katie, John, David, Jenny, Danielle, Nate and Mandi; 24 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; a brother, Robert Warneka; three sisters: Dorothy Nielsen, Edith Whitmer and Sylvia Osgood; and a sister-in-law, Irene Barron.

SOURCE: Kearns Funeral Service