Helen Koolbeck (1911-1999)

KOOLBECK, BENEDICT, HAYES, RODGERS, DVORAK, ANTONELLI

Posted By: Beverly Witmer (email)
Date: 2/10/2013 at 00:31:59

Quad-City Times, Davenport, Iowa April, 1999.

Helen Koolbeck

DAVENPORT - Helen M. Koolbeck, 88, formerly of Davenport and Sun City, Ariz., will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at First Presbyterian Church, Davenport.
Burial will be in Pine Hill Cemetery, Davenport.

Visitation is 4-8 p.m. Wednesday at Weerts Funeral Home, Davenport.

Mrs. Koolbeck died Monday, April 26, 1999, at the Alverno Health Care Center in Clinton, Iowa.

Born Helen Marion Benedict in Springfield, Ill., Mrs. Koolbeck moved with her family to Dubuque, Iowa, in 1924. She graduated from the University of Dubuque in 1930 and received a master's degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1932. She was a career librarian, beginning as a college librarian at the University of Dubuque. Later, she held positions with the Davenport Public Library and Marycrest College and was librarian at Adams School in Davenport from 1955 to 1975.

She married James S. Koolbeck in Dubuque on Aug. 24, 1935. They settled in Davenport in 1942 and later retired to Sun City, Ariz. He died Jan. 5, 1997.

Besides an enthusiastic interest in her children and family, teaching and reading, Helen enjoyed tennis and golf and music. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Davenport, and of a book club of dear friends, also in Davenport, for many years.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church, Davenport, or the Adams School library.

Survivors include daughters, Martha (Mrs. Thomas) Hayes, Clinton, Iowa, Linda Rodgers, Sedona, Ariz., and Johanna (Mrs. Thomas) Dvorak, Cedarburg, Wis.; grandchildren, Jennifer Rodgers Antonelli, George Rodgers, John, Patrick and Michael Hayes, and Jamie and Joseph Dvorak; greatgrandchildren, Gabriel and Sophia Antonelli; and several nieces and nephews.

She also was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Allen.