Helen Ann Finken

FINKEN

Posted By: Tara (email)
Date: 6/26/2009 at 11:00:42

Helen Ann Finken passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 31, 2007. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held on Monday, June 4, 2007 at 4:00 pm at the First United Methodist Church (214 E. Jefferson Street, Iowa City), with a reception to follow. All who knew Helen are welcome to attend the memorial service. A private burial service will be held at Oakland Cemetery in Iowa City. Condolences may be sent to Lensing Funeral Home, 605 Kirkwood Avenue in Iowa City. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Helen Finken Memorial Fund.

Helen devoted her career to the Iowa City School District, as a social studies teacher, mentor, and coordinator. Later in her career, she also taught as an adjunct professor at Coe College and an instructor at the University of Iowa. Helen was selected as Iowa Teacher of the Year, and received several other national and local awards. She enjoyed creating course curricula and lesson plans, and published educational materials for Newsweek magazine’s Education Program. Helen was energetically involved in professional organizations, and for several years was the State of Iowa coordinator for the National Geography Bee. She was passionate about active learning, and helped to organize and train groups of teachers on study tours to China.

Helen is survived by her daughter Anne Noelle Finken, her cousins and their families, her special friends Bob, Cathy, Linda, and Carol, and many other friends, students, and colleagues. She was an unfailingly warm, cheerful, positive, and caring person who enriched the lives of those she touched.