Plathe, Helen (Mrs. Ferd) 1918-2007

PLATHE, WILDSCHUTZ, RICKE

Posted By: Paul Van Dyke-Volunteer
Date: 1/24/2015 at 22:04:44

Source: Daily Sentinel (1-4-2007)

Birth: October 25, 1918
Death: January 3, 2007

Helen Plathe, 88, of Granville, died Wednesday, January 3, 2007, at Orange City Area Health System, Long Term Care, in Orange City.

Helen Plathe was born October 25, 1918, at rural Granville, the daughter of Henry and Mary (Wildschutz) Ricke. Helen was raised in the Granville area and received her education at St. Joseph Catholic School in Granville.

On November 14, 1939, she married Ferd Plathe at Granville. They farmed in the Granville area their entire life. Ferd died August 8, 1978. Helen remained on the farm until 1991 when she moved into Granville. In 1999 she became a resident of Landsmeer Assisted Living and in 2002, the Long Term Care Unit, both in Orange City.

She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Granville, the church Guild and choir, Ladies Catholic Order of Foresters and V.F.W. Auxiliary. Helen loved gardening, volunteering at the church and working with the V.F.W. Auxiliary of which she was president for 29 years. She especially loved spending time with her children, grandchildien and great-grandchildren.

Survivors include six daughters, Charlene Keane of Chicago, Illinois, Judy Plathe and her friend Eleanor Guzzio of Chicago, 1llinois, Betty and her husband Dale Beckmann of Remsen, Jan and her husband Denny Meis of Le Mars, Rosie and her husband Daryl Penning of Granville, Mary and her husband Ken Murphy of Sheldon; three sons, Ronald of Granville, Steve and his wife Rosanne and Bob and his wife Connie, all of Remsen; one son-in-law, Al Pottebaum, Jr. of Alton; 22 grandchildren; 15 greatgrandchildren; two brothers and their wives, Clarence and Jeanette Ricke of Remsen, and Vernon and Leona Ricke of Sheldon; two sisters and their husbands, Kathleen and Jim Klein and Clarice and Cyril Schmit, all of Remsen; three sisters-in-law, Geraldine Hodapp of Canby, Minnesota, Mary Ann Hansen of Le Mars and Esther Plathe Gergen of Le Mars.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one daughter, Margie Pottebaum; one son-in-law, John Keane; two grandchildren, Dean Meis and Patty Keane; two brothers and their wives, Omar and Leola Ricke and Robert and Kathleen Ricke; and brothers and sisters-in-law, Arnold and Coletta Galles, Jude and Bernice Galles, Elmer and Melinda Klein, Joe Plathe and Melvin Plathe.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Granville with the Reverend Richard D. Ball officiating. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery in Granville. Friends may call anytime after 4 p.m. Friday at St. Joseph Catholic Chuch in Granville, where there will be a rosary at 5 p.m. by St. Joseph's Guild and a vigil prayer service at 7:30 p.m. The Fisch Funeral Home of Remsen is in charge of arrange-ments.

Casketbearers will be Michael Murphy, Jared Penning, Jason Beckmann, Chad Plathe, Jeff Meis and Jim Pottebaum.