Jane Odette Helgeson, 27 Feb 1919 - 27 Dec 2016

HELGESON, RICE, GEISMAR, MATHEWS, FRANZENBURG, GOODGION

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 2/1/2017 at 15:36:16

Jane Odette Helgeson, 97, of Ely, Iowa, formerly of Homestead, Iowa, died December 27, 2016, at Colonial Manor, Amana, Iowa. Services: 10 a.m. Wednesday, January 4, 2016, First Lutheran Church, Conroy, Iowa, with a luncheon to follow. Visitation: 4 – 6 p.m. Tuesday, January 3, 2016, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Burial: First Lutheran Church Cemetery, Conroy, Iowa.

Jane was born February 27, 1919, in Cedar Rapids, the daughter of Robert and Blanche (Geismar) Rice. She graduated from McKinley High School, Cedar Rapids, in 1936. During high school Jane and some friends would meet for potlucks then go to the school football or basketball games. After graduation Jane and her friends met at a reunion and decided to have a round robin letter between about twelve of them. She attended Iowa State Teacher’s College, Cedar Falls. Jane and a friend went to Danceland one night and that is where she met Olin Helgeson. They married on July 2, 1961, at the First Lutheran Church in Conroy, and spent many happy years together.

Olin belonged to El Khire Shrine Temple and Jane was a member of Daughter of the Nile where she became “Queen” in 1973. Jane and Olin enjoyed working at the Shrine Hospitals. She also worked at the Iowa Theatre and Iowa Power & Electric Company. Jane owned and operated “The Pepper Mill” out of her Homestead residence. Jane offered herbs, spices, teas, potpourri, Watkins Products, and local crafts. She was the accountant for Helgeson Family Tile Drainage Company where she was awarded “Contractor’s Wife of the Year”. Jane volunteered on the Democratic Central Committee and opened her home to many political figures. She was also a 50 year member of Eastern Star Cedar Chapter and Daughters of the Nile Ortho Temple.

Survivors include her daughter, Kathleen Mathews of Cedar Rapids; step-daughter, Cathy (Greg) Franzenburg of Keystone, Iowa; step-grandchildren, Elysha (Casey) Goodgion, Geoff (Christy) Franzenburg, Tyler Franzenburg; and five step-great-granddaughters.

Jane was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Olin.

The family would like to extend a special Thank-You to the staff at Hospice of Mercy for their loving care of Jane.

Memorials may be directed to First Lutheran Church, PO Box 27, Conroy, Iowa 52220.

Murdoch Funeral Home
The Gazette 29 Dec 2016, 8a