Mansfield, Helen E. 1910 - 2008

MANSFIELD, BLANKENFELD, VAUGHN

Posted By: Doris Hoffman, Volunteer (email)
Date: 2/2/2011 at 17:17:29

Helen E. Mansfield
(June 12, 1910 - April 23, 2008)

Marcus, Iowa- Helen E. Mansfield, 97, of Marcus, Iowa passed away on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at Floyd Valley Hospital in Le Mars, Iowa. Funeral services will take place at 2:00p.m. on Saturday, April 26, 2008 at Grace United Methodist Church in Marcus, Iowa. Rev. Gary McDonough will officiate. A family burial service will take place at a later date at the Marcus Amherst Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Friday at the Earnest – Johnson Funeral Home of Marcus. The family will be present from 6-8 p.m. with a prayer service scheduled for 7:00 p.m. There will also be one hour of visitation at the church prior to the funeral on Saturday.

Helen Ella Mansfield was born on June 12, 1910 near Niobrara, Nebraska, the daughter of Henry and Ella (Vaughn) Blankenfeld. She was raised in the Bloomfield/Niobrara area where she graduated from high school. She later attended two years of Normal Training at Kearney, Nebraska.

On December 25, 1929 Helen and Dale Larson Mansfield were united in marriage at her parent’s home in rural Bloomfield, Nebraska. The couple made their home in a log home in rural Bennett County, South Dakota where they farmed. In 1946, the family moved to Calumet, Iowa and lived there one year prior to moving to a farm southwest of Cherokee. Helen and Dale moved to Marcus in 1969. Helen worked at the Hilltop Nursing Home in Cherokee for a year and then worked with home health care in Marcus. Along with home health care, Helen cared for her mother at her home for several years. Dale passed away in 1991.

Helen was a member of Grace Untied Methodist Church in Marcus. She enjoyed reading, was an avid gardener, and was a nursing home pen pal. Helen worked hard on the farm and knew all of her dairy cattle by name.

She will be lovingly remembered by her children Jean Ireland of Hot Springs, SD, James Dale (Fayola) Mansfield of Kadoka, SD, Audrey E. Neiffer of Phillip, SD Harry F. (Anita) Mansfield of Pierson, IA, Virginia M. (Tom) Gagnon of Salt Lake City, UT, Betty J. (Darwin) Schmidt of Early, IA, Linda L. (Ray) Flewelling of Cherokee, IA, Gail L. Reinert of Sioux City, IA, Richard A. (Linda) Mansfield of Sioux City, IA, and Judith A. (Edward) Gross of Meriden, IA; a daughter-in-law Alice Mansfield of Pocahontas, IA; 40 grandchildren; 90 great-grandchildren; 31 great-great grandchildren; special family friends Peter (Bonnie) Blankenfeld of Waterloo, IA and Chris Ballard of Marcus, IA, and all other lifelong friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Dale; an infant son Paul; a son Keith; brothers Floyd and Clyde; sons-in-law Wayne Ireland and Roger Neiffer.

Memorials may be directed to Grace Untied Methodist Church of Marcus and Floyd Valley Hospital in Le Mars.

Mauer Johnson Earnest Funeral Home
Le Mars, Iowa