Fischer, Helen Avis (Shemat) (1928 - 2020)

FISCHER, SHEMAT, CUSCINO, DILLARD, BROWN, NELSON, HEMBREE

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 6/18/2020 at 19:52:54

Name of deceased: Helen Avis Fischer (nee Shemat)

Aged: 91 yrs, 6 mo, 10 days

Residence: Harlan, Shelby County, IA

Born: Nov. 7, 1928; Pender, Thurston County, NE

Died: May 17, 2020; Elm Crest Retirement Community, Harlan, Shelby County, IA

Funeral services: Private family graveside services were held

Survived by: Daughters, Sandy (spouse, Tom) Cuscino of Harlan, IA and Karla (spouse, Mike) Dillard of Iowa City, IA: grandchildren, Corey, Carrie, Cayley, Cassie, Tara, Nathan, and Sean; 17 great-grandchildren; other family members and friends

Predeceased by: Parents, John and Ruth G. (nee Brown) Shemat; husband of 64 years, Earl (deceased March 31, 2015); son, Allan Fischer; son-in-law, Dan Nelson; great-granddaughter, Alexis Hembree

Education: Graduated from Bancroft High School, Pender, NE, Class of 1946; she then attended Wayne State Teacher’s College in Wayne, NE, and graduated from there in the winter of 1947. Helen went back to college at Iowa Western Community College and obtained her LPN license in 1980; she didn’t intend to work in nursing, but she wanted to learn medical terminology and understand when her daughters would talk about their nursing careers.

Religious affiliation: no information provided

Military service: n/a

Marriage: Earl Herman Fischer; July 30, 1950; Bancroft, NE

Employment: It was difficult to find a job when she graduated half-way through a school year; as a result, her first teaching job as a new graduate took her to Manning, IA, where she taught 3rd grade at the country school there. After marrying Earl, in 1960 they moved to Harlan, IA after purchasing the Harlan Monument Works. Helen was the bookkeeper and Earl’s business partner, but her full time job was being a stay at home mom to their 3 children. In 1975, they sold the monument business and started a cemetery lettering business, Fischer Cemetery Lettering.

Hobbies/Interests: enjoyed traveling in their camper throughout the US and Canada with the Coachmen and Good Sam Clubs; was an avid bridge player; enjoyed golf; enjoyed making and painting wooden crafts with Earl

Sources: harlanonline.com; kjan.com; findagrave.com; burmeisterjohannsen.com