Helen Henrietta (LaMar) Stensland (1921-2015)

STENSLAND, LAMAR, WASSON, EVANS, COLEGROVE, CLAYTON, HAGMANN, SCHONHORST, JOHNSON

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 1/30/2016 at 11:25:28

Obituary From Adams Soderstrum Funeral Home, Story County, Iowa.

Helen Henrietta Stensland was born December 31, 1921 to Byron and Genevieve (Wasson) LaMar in Des Moines, Iowa. She grew up in Des Moines, close to the Iowa State Fairgrounds, and graduated from East High School in 1939. Helen’s family operated LaMar’s Lunches for many years at the Iowa State Fair. Once graduated from high school, Helen's first job was at the Internal Revenue Service in Des Moines. After a short time in the Des Moines office, Helen was promoted to a position in Detroit, followed by New York, and later Washington D.C., all during WWII.

At the request of her parents, Helen moved back to Des Moines in 1945. She met the love her life, Harold Stensland, at the Val Air Ballroom in Des Moines. Helen and Harold were united in marriage on May 2, 1948 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. They made their home on the farm two miles north of Huxley where Helen helped out on the farm while raising five children.

Helen was a member of Fjeldberg Lutheran Church volunteering much of her time with Sunday school, Ladies Aid and numerous church activities. She also enjoyed entertaining her family and friends. Helen loved to bowl, cook, play cards and square dance. Helen was very proud of the fact that she learned to use the computer which helped fulfill her social needs. Throughout Helen's life, it remained important to her that she continued to be helpful to others as long as she could.

Helen passed away at 93 years of age on December 25, 2015 at the Madrid Home in Madrid, Iowa, where she has been a resident for the last three years.

Helen is survived by five children, John (Claudia) Stensland of Sloan, Paul Stensland of Osage Beach, Missouri, Helen Marie (Mike) Evans of Cambridge, Joanne Stensland of Woodland Park, Colorado and Suanne (Jeff) Colegrove of Burnsville, Minnesota; her grandchildren, Sarah (Andrew) Clayton, Kristin (Nick) Hagmann, Vanessa Stensland, Jennifer (Mike) Schonhorst, Michael (Melissa) Evans, Angela (Brian) Johnson, James (Jocelyn) Evans, Jeremy Colegrove, Ryan Colegrove and Emily Colegrove; and her great-grandchildren, Ashley, Blake, Anna, Mia, Evan, Hunter and Heidi.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Harold; and her brother.

Christmas truly was Helen's favorite holiday. She would leave her tree up all year long. It is very fitting that she would leave this life to start another on Christmas Day and that her burial will be on her 94th birthday.

Funeral Service
DEC 31. 10:30 AM
Fjeldberg Lutheran Church
209 N. 2nd Ave.
Huxley, IA, US, 50124

http://www.adamssoderstrum.com/
 

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