HELFTER, Ruth E. 1924-2006

HELFTER, SMITH, CLARK

Posted By: Kermit Kittleson
Date: 2/22/2006 at 21:25:41

A Mass of Christian Burial for Ruth E. Helfter, age 81, of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and formerly of New Haven, Iowa, was held Monday, Feb. 20, 2006, at St. Peter's Catholic Church in New Haven, with Rev. Ray E. Atwood officiating. Burial was at St. Peter's Catholic Cemetery in New Haven.

Ruth died Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2006, at Havasu Nursing Center in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

Ruth was born on April 19, 1924, in Floyd, Iowa, to Herbert and Amy (Smith) Clark. After graduation from Floyd High School in 1942, Ruth moved to Washington D.C. to work at the Pentagon and the Department of Agriculture during the war years. She moved back to Osage in 1946, and met and married John "Gene" Helfter on January 2, 1947. They farmed for 46 years in Mitchell and Howard counties where they raised five children. Ruth worked for 19 years for Sherman Nursery in Charles City, Iowa as a bookkeeper/secretary. Ruth and John retired from the farm in 1993 and moved to Parkview to be near two of their children. In October of 2005, they relocated to Lake Havasu City, Arizona to be close to their daughter.

Her parents, a sister Josephine Lovejoy, two brothers, Herbert and Robert Clark, and a grandchild, Patrick Helfter, preceded her in death.

Ruth is survived by her husband, John "Gene" Helfter of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; her five children, Beth Silhanek (Dale) of Toledo, Iowa, Mary Cannon-James, (Chuck James) of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., John Helfter (Sherri) of Eldridge, Iowa, Rita Arwine (Bob) of Green Bay, Wisc., and Bill Helfter (Geri) of Forest City, Iowa; 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Three sisters, Francis Voight of Hayward, Wisc., Grace Conway of Austin, Minn., and Betsy Zeibell of Webster City, Iowa; and a brother Marvin Clark of Hayward, Wisc. also survive Ruth.

Arrangements were made by Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home, Osage, Iowa, Phone: (641) 732-3706.

[original Posted on Feb. 22, 2006, on www.mcpress.com (Mitchell County Press)]

[ Edited by K.L. Kittleson ]