Helen K. Kenaley
KENALEY, HENRICH, KALLSEN, BAKER, KALLSEN, BOHNENKAMP, JONES, CAMPION JONES
Posted By: Amanda Lensing (email)
Date: 6/15/2015 at 11:45:41
Helen K. Kenaley, 89, of Iowa City passed away on Thursday, April 2nd, 2015 at Colonial Manor Nursing Home in Amana, Iowa after a lengthy illness.
Helen was born on September 14, 1925 in Le Mars, Iowa, the first of five children of Otto J. and Irene M. (Henrich) Kallsen. She attended country schools and graduated from Le Mars High School in 1942 with a normal training certificate and immediately began teaching in one room country schools at the tender age of 16. At age 18, Helen took the train to Seattle, Washington, accompanied by her Aunt Dorothy in order to assist in the war effort by working in the huge Boeing aircraft plant. She recalled having to roller skate in order to deliver parts from one sector of the building to another. She also bolstered the morale of departing servicemen by jitterbugging the night away at beautiful Seattle ballroom venues and remembered how respectful and fun-loving those young men were. After V - J Day, Helen returned to the Le Mars area and taught in several rural schools including Craig and Struble until her marriage to Donald J. Kenaley on August 2, 1948 at Le Mars. She continued teaching at George and Manilla until 1954 when she and Don bought a farm south of Le Mars and started their family. She loved teaching English literature and attended Westmar College from 1970-71 to obtain a teaching certificate and subsequently taught 8th grade English at Gehlen Catholic School in Le Mars. She especially enjoyed American authors Willa Cather and John Steinbeck and voraciously read all of their works. Don and Helen retired in 1986 and began spending winters in Mesa, Arizona and built a new home in Le Mars for summers.
In 2004, they moved to Iowa City to be near their daughter Karen and her family until Don passed away in January of 2014. Due to vascular dementia, Helen required full-time care and took up residence at Colonial Manor for the last fourteen months of her life. She recognized close friends and family until the end and always lit up with a heartfelt smile when loved ones arrived to visit or played her favorite piano pieces.
Helen’s first love was her family but ballroom dancing was a close second. She gave many impromptu foxtrot lessons in her kitchen and was never too tired or busy to trip the light fantastic. She steadfastly fostered the study and performance of music among all of her children and listened patiently to many tedious practice sessions always offering encouragement and occasionally making threats. She was an excellent competitive bridge and pinochle player and delighted in baking tantalizing yeast breads and fresh fruit pies. She will always be remembered for her competitive drive and work ethic along with her beautiful smiling face and open loving heart. She was a devout Roman Catholic who believed in the power and value of marriage and child-rearing. When her children complained about a difficult task she would always remind them to “offer it up to God.”
Helen is survived by her three children, Kevin L. Kenaley (Debbie) of Hockessin, Delaware, Karen A. Baker (Bill) of Iowa City, Iowa, and Gary L. Kenaley (Valerie) of Sunnyvale, California. She is also survived by four siblings, Vernon (Pat) Kallsen of Madison, Wisconsin, Dorothy Bohnenkamp of Remsen, Iowa, Ronald Kallsen of Le Mars, Iowa, and Duane (Joan) Kallsen of Spencer, Iowa. Helen is also survived by her seven grandchildren: Erin (Will) Jones, Ryan (Kaitlin) Kenaley, Justin Kenaley, Jeremy and Braden Kenaley, and Lauren and Colin Baker. She recently was delighted to meet her only great-grandchild, William Campion Jones II (Liam) of West Grove, Pennsylvania, and enjoyed photos of him until her last day.
Helen was preceded in death by her parents and Don “Duke,” her beloved husband of 65 years.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held in Le Mars on June 21, 2015. The family would like to thank the staff of Colonial Manor in Amana for their compassionate and vigilant care.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to the Le Mars Public Library or the patient care staff at Colonial Manor in Amana, Iowa.
Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
Johnson Obituaries maintained by Cindy Booth Maher.
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