Helen (Knutson) Henryson Beroen (1851-1935)

HENRYSON, BEROEN, KNUTSON, JOHNSON, SANDNESS, DYVIG

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 8/6/2024 at 22:14:34

From Story City Herald August 8, 1935 (page 4)

LAST RITES FOR PIONEER CITIZEN

Body of Mrs. Henryson-Beroen Laid to Rest Last Thursday Afternoon

Funeral services for Mrs. Helen Henryson-Beroen, whose death occurred Monday night of last week, were held Thursday afternoon, with her pastor, Rev. Paulsrud officiating. A short prayer service was held at the home of her daughter, Mrs. C. L. Johnson, followed by the regular funeral service at the Bethel church, which was filled to capacity by relatives and old time friends of the deceased.

The pallbearers were: Wier E. Erickson, Osmund Vangness, Nehemias Tjernagel, A. G. Larson, Ole Thorsbakken and Jonas K. Johnson. Rev. Rossing sang two songs: "Den store hvide Flok" and "Jesus Lover of My Soul." At the service at home "I'm But a Stranger" was sung by a ladies quartet consisting of Helen and Hyla Beroen and Minnie and Marjorie Johnson. At the home service Rev. Paulsrud read the 23rd Psalm as a basis of comfort to the family. Interment was made in Fairview cemetery beside her husband who died 18 years ago.

Sixty dollars were contributed to missions and benevolences by relatives and friends in her memory.

Among those from a distance at the funeral were the following: Mr. and Mrs. Osmund Mortvedt and family, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Thompson and family and Mrs. A. I. Madson of Blue Earth, Minn.; Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Nelson and Hans J. Johnson of Cambridge; Mrs. L. T. Eness of Ames; Dr. and Mrs. Moorse and Miss Larson of Nevada; J. A. Smith and son of Ankeny; Mrs. Belle Dyvig and Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Dyvig and family of Stanhope; Miss Emma Hagen and Mrs. Margretha Jorgenson of Des Moines; Mr. and Mrs. Sven Hall of Clear Lake; Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Reisetter, Mr. and Mrs. Solomon Thompson and family, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Olson, Mrs. Iver Swenson and Mrs. Amos Alberts of Radcliffe.

Mrs. Helen Henryson Beroen (maiden name Helen Knutson), was born at Glosemodt, Seldjord parish, Norway on Feb. 16, 1851, and died very peacefully Monday night, July 29, 1935, at the age of 84 years, 5 months and 13 days. All her children were present at her death.

In 1853 she came to America with her parents, Kettle and Anna Knutson. They settled on a farm in Boone county, Ill., where they lived about 12 years. The Knutson family came to Iowa in 1865 and settled on a farm four miles northeast of Story City in Scott township, Hamilton county, where she grew to womanhood.

To this union seven children were born, of whom four are living, namely, Mrs. C. L. Johnson, Lewis, Henry and Annas, all of whom live in and near Story City. She is also survived by two sisters, Mrs. Sarah Sandness of Story City and Mrs. Belle Dyvig of Stanhope, Iowa; one brother, Ole K. Knutson of Nampa, Idaho, and 12 grandchildren. Her husband died Jan. 16, 1917.

The last four years she has lived at the Sunset Home, and at the home of her daughter, Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Johnson. On April 20 she suffered a stroke from which she did not recover.

Mrs. Helen Henryson was a charter member of the Bethel church, where she has worshipped and worked faithfully for many years. She was a Christian mother and as such she faithfully brought up her children in the fear of the Lord.

She was also a Good Samaritan: she always gave a lift to the poor and needy without letting the left hand know what the right hand was doing.

A few weeks ago she asked her pastor to bring her heartfelt thanks to all of her friends. But the best of all, by the grace of God, she could say with Paul: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus."

These words taken from Paul's letter to the Romans 8:1, provided the text for Rev. Paulsrud's sermon at the funeral.

At her funeral the congregation sang her favorite hymn, the first three verses of which are as follows:

"I know of a sleep in Jesus' name,
A rest from all toil and sorrow;
Earth folds in her arms my weary frame,
And shelters it till the morrow;
My soul is at home with God in heaven,
Her sorrows are past and over.

I know of a peaceful eventide;
And when I am faint and weary,
At times with the journey sorely tried.
Thru hours that are long and dreary;
Then often I yearn to lay me down
And sink into a blissful slumber.

I know of a morning bright and fair,
When tidings of joy shall wake us,
When songs from on high shall fill the air,
And God to His glory take us,
When Jesus shall bit us rise from sleep--
How joyous that hour of awaking!"