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Helm, Jean Ruth (1935-2019)

HELM, HARTMAN, HILBRAND, GFRERER, WRIGHT, GROSKLAGS, LENTZ, STALOCH, SIME

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 8/22/2019 at 15:08:21

Jean Ruth Helm
July 29, 1935 - June 4, 2019

Jean Ruth Helm, 83, of Crystal Lake, died on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, in Britt, Iowa.

Jean was born on July 29, 1935, to Rhiner and Edith (Hilbrand) Hartman in Allison, Iowa. She graduated from Crystal Lake High School in 1952 at the age of 16. While in high school, Jean met Virgil Helm, the love of her life, whom she married on August 3, 1953. They celebrated 65 years of marriage just last August.

After Virgil completed his service in the U.S. Army in 1955, they began farming west of Forest City. After nine years, they moved less than a mile where they purchased their first farm. Farming became their life-long passion. Jean worked alongside Virgil her entire married life. They loved to farm, and in the early years, they raised livestock along with their four children.

While still farming, Jean and Virgil, also, took the time to see the country during the nine years they spent delivering motor homes for Winnebago Industries. They continued to farm in the spring, summer and fall, but wintered in Mission, Texas. They continued to go south for a total of thirty-eight winters.

Jean is survived by Virgil, her husband of over 65 years; her four children, Julie (Dan) Gfrerer, of Stillwater, Minnesota, Jody Wright, of Newton, Iowa, Stephen (Nancy) Helm, of Forest City, and Dana Grosklags, of Grimes, Iowa; her eight grandchildren: Brandon (Jeanne) and Nicholas (Terese Szczech) Gfrerer; Spencer and Austin Grosklags; Adam (Trista), Cody (Megan), and Kirk (Alicia) Helm; and Stephanie (Brian) Lentz; nine “greats” as she would refer to them: Charlie Gfrerer; Hailey, Maverick, Reagyn, and Toby Helm; Anna, Liam, and Madeline Lentz; and Annika Staloch; a brother-in-law, Dale Sime; and a sister-in-law, Agnes Hartman.

Jean was preceded in death by her parents; her son-in-law, Darrell Wright; her grandson, Travis Wright; her sister, Marjorie Sime; and her brother, Ronald Hartman.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, June 7, 2019, at the United Methodist Church in Crystal Lake, Iowa, with Rev. Les Green officiating. Visitation is scheduled from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 6, 2019, at the Cataldo Schott Funeral Chapel, 505 North Clark Street, Forest City, Iowa, and for one hour before services at the church on Friday. Burial will follow at Crystal Township Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Hospice of North Iowa or the Crystal Lake Senior Citizen Center.

Cataldo Schott Funeral Home, Forest City, Iowa, 2019.


 

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