Mary Helen Margaret Doidge 1901-2003

DOIDGE, KING, MCGRAIN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/5/2008 at 21:33:30

Sioux City Journal
17 Feb 2003

Castana, Iowa--Helen Doidge, 101, of Castana died Friday, Feb 14, 2003, at Maple Heights Nursing Home in Mapleton, Iowa.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Mapleton with the Rev. William Schreiber officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be after 4 p.m. today, with a vigil wake service at 7 p.m. at Armstrong Funeral Home in Mapleton.

Mary Helen Margaret McGrain was born on a farm near Mapleton on July 8, 1901 to George and Mary (King) McGrain. She attended St. Mary's Catholic Grade School and Mapleton High School. She then taught country school for several years. She enjoyed it immensely and made numerous lifetime friends.

On Jan. 29, 1929, she married Edward John Doidge at St Mary's Catholic Church in Mapleton. They raised their five children on farms west of Mapleton and then on the family farm near Castana.

Helen was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Grimsley-Thayer Unit 502 of Castana for 58 years and a member of the Thursday Club of Castana. She was a lifelong member of St Mary's Catholic Church in Mapleton, having been baptized there.

Survivors include three sons, Herman of Mapleton, Jerome of California and LeRoy of Des Moines; a daughter, Virginia Bates of California. Other survivors include a brother, Lawrence McGrain of Mapleton; a sister-in- law, Edna Doidge of Denison, Iowa; 18 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren; three great-great- grandchildren; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Edward; and a daughter, Mary Ann Miller.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations to St Mary's Catholic Church or to Maple Heights Nursing Home Betterment Fund, both in Mapleton.