Helen Florabel (Harrison) Thompson (1928-2019)
THOMPSON, HARRISON, DAVIS, RAMER, JONES, ENGER, LUSCOMBE, JOHNSTON
Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 9/14/2019 at 05:36:12
From Rasmusson-Bacon Funeral Home & Crematory obituary, Nevada and Maxwell, Story County, Iowa:
Helen Thompson, 91, of Altoona, formerly of Maxwell, passed away Tuesday, August 13, 2019, at Prairie Vista Village in Altoona.
Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Friday, August 16 at Rasmusson-Ryan Funeral Home (422 First Street) in Maxwell. A funeral service will be 10 a.m. Saturday, August 17 also at the funeral home. Burial will be at Woodland Cemetery in Iowa Center.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Maxwell Community Center or the Maxwell United Methodist Church.
Rasmusson-Ryan Funeral Home in Nevada is handling arrangements. www.rasmussonfh.com
Helen Florabel Harrison was born July 6, 1928 on a farm east of Shipley, Iowa to Clint and Fae Harrison. She was the only child of the couple. Helen started school at Shipley and attended the first and second grade there until March of 1935 when the family moved to a farm east of Maxwell. Helen graduated from Maxwell High School in 1945 at sixteen years of age.
In the fall of 1947 she began her teaching career at the age of eighteen as a junior high teacher in Roland, Iowa, where she taught for period of 5 years. It was during this time that she met her husband, Francis Thompson. There were married at the Maxwell Methodist Church on June 18, 1950. To this union 4 children were born.
Helen later obtained her BA degree from Drake University in 1964 along with many other fellow teachers by attending classes nights, weekends, and summers over a period of years while holding down a full time teaching job and raising a family of four. She credited her mother, Fae, her grandmother, Della Davis, and her loyal babysitter, Beulah Richardson, and fellow teacher, Charlotte Caple for their encouragement, dedication and help in attaining her goal and the many, many teaching colleagues for making it such a fulling profession.
Helen’s teaching career spanned 41 years including Roland (5 years), Ballard (1 year), Maxwell and later the combined Collins/Maxwell School systems for 35 years. It was a work of love and dedication for her. She loved serving as a mentor to teachers new to the field and took great pride in their teaching success. She truly loved the classroom with its lively, early teenagers and tried to instill in them a sense of values that would last them a lifetime. As Superintendent Rick Sullivan remarked at her retirement in May of 1991, “ Helen not only taught them the subject matter but also life skills.” She was especially interested in following her students as they progressed through high school and college and in their chosen careers and occupations.
After their marriage in 1950, Helen and Francis continued living in Roland until 1952 when they moved to Maxwell following Clint’s untimely death to help Fae continue on the farm. Francis farmed and worked as a carpenter in Ames. Their 4 children (the 4Ks) were born at this time. The tragic death of Fae, plus a back surgery for Francis in 1961 caused the family to move into Maxwell where they lived until 1974 when they bought their acreage near Iowa Center and set out on the task of remodeling the barn into a house. This was completed in 1976 and the family enjoyed the peace and beauty of country living at its best. “Oakview Acres”, named for the stately oak at the end of the driveway, the manicured lawn, the trees and birds along with occasional deer, geese, wild turkeys, and abundant racoons were all sources of enjoyment for Francis and Helen. The children and grandchildren enjoyed frequent gatherings at the acreage for a family reunion, camping, Easter egg hunt and kite flying, wading in the creek, sliding down the hill in winter, or even cutting wood. The rocks beneath the oak was a favorite picture taking opportunity, so much so that Francis and Helen chose that spot for their 50th anniversary pictures in 2000.
In 1992 Francis and Helen began spending winters at Golden Sun in Apache Junction, Arizona, making new friends from across the US and Canada. They particularly enjoyed the new park model they purchased in 2001. After returning home that year, the decision was made to sell their beloved “Oak View Acres” to move into a new home in Nevada, IA.
Helen leaves her daughters Kay Ramer of Henderson, NV, and Karla (Todd) Jones of Colfax, IA, and son Kevin Thompson of Maxwell, IA; her 11 grandchildren; Katie Enger, Michael Ramer, Jonathan Ramer, Kristen Ramer, Dani Luscombe, Dusty Thompson, Chelsie Johnston, Connor Jones, Cameron Jones, Jake Thompson and Cassie Thompson, and 10 great grandchildren. Other survivors are daughters-in-law Steph Caple Thompson of Maxwell, IA, and Tina Thompson of Ames, IA, and Francis’ many nieces and nephews that Helen enjoyed so much.
Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Francis Thompson, son Keith Thompson, and her parents Clint and Fae Harrison.
http://www.rasmussonfh.com/
Story Obituaries maintained by Mark Christian.
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