VERHELST, Doris Marie (Billings) 1930-2014

VERHELST, BILLINGS, GALLUP

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 12/14/2014 at 17:55:30

NORA SPRINGS, IOWA - Doris Marie VerHelst, 84, of Nora Springs, Iowa, died Friday Dec. 12, 2014, at the Nora Springs Care Center, Nora Springs, Iowa.

Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday Dec. 17, 2014, at the Nora Springs Christian Church, Nora Springs, Iowa, with the Rev. Paul Boostrom officiating. Burial will be in Park Cemetery, Nora Springs, Iowa.

Family will greet friends Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Sheckler Colonial Chapel, Nora Springs.

Family suggests memorials to Nora Springs Christian Church or Hospice of North Iowa.

Doris was born April 15, 1930, in Nora Springs, Iowa, the daughter of Daudell and Maybelle Fern (Gallup) Billings. She graduated from Nora Springs High School in 1947. She was the Nora Springs Queen Candidate for the North Iowa Band Festival in 1947. Starting at the age of 13, she worked in Nora Springs at Idso Grocery, Richardson’s Grocery, and Montgomery Grocery, and then in the office of Standard Oil in Mason City.

Doris married Donald VerHelst December 7, 1952, at the Nora Springs Christian Church. They farmed in the Nora Springs area until 1963; then they moved into Nora Springs. She then worked at the Fisher’s Grocery and Kluver’s Grocery until she retired.

She and her husband, Don, were very active in the community, where they helped with Meals on Wheels. She and Don worked at Sheckler Colonial Chapels as hosts.

Doris has been a very active member of Nora Springs Christian Church since 1943 and had been the church organist for over 64 years.

Doris is survived by her three children, Janice (the Rev. Paul) Boostrom, Nora Springs, Iowa, Dan (Neva) VerHelst, Mason City, Iowa and Mike (Lisa) VerHelst, Nora Springs, Iowa; two grandchildren Jacob VerHelst, Nora Springs, Iowa, and Christi (Josh) Smallwood, Nora Springs, Iowa; two great-grandchildren Abigail and Wyatt Smallwood, Nora Springs, Iowa; brother Jim Billings, Nora Springs, Iowa; sisters-in-law Isabelle VerHelst, Mason City, Iowa, and Peggy DeGraffenreid, Warsaw, Missouri; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Don in 2013; sisters-in-law Bonnie Billings and Sis Haight; and brothers-in-law Keith Haight, Raymond and Jerry VerHelst.

Sheckler Colonial Chapel, 114 N. Hawkeye, Nora Springs, IA 50438, 641-749-2210, ColonialChapels.com.

Source: Mason City Globe Gazette, 14 DEC 2014