Helen Joan (Torkelson) TANNER

TANNER, SKORPEN, TORKELSON, AVES, ROSDAHL, LENTZ

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/18/2009 at 14:20:56

NORTHWOOD - Helen Joan Tanner, 71, of Northwood, died Wednesday (June 19, 2002) at her home. Her funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the First Lutheran Church, 309 N. Ninth St. in Northwood, with the Rev. Paul Holmer officiating. Interment will follow at Sunset Rest Cemetery in Northwood. Visitation will be held from 4 until 7 p.m. today at the church and also for one hour prior to services on Saturday. Conner Colonial Chapel of Northwood is in charge of the service.
Memorials may be directed to the Helen J. Tanner Memorial Fund.

Helen was born Jan. 29, 1931, in Humboldt, Iowa, the daughter of Carl and Selma (Skorpen) Torkelson. She graduated from Humboldt High School in 1949 and was united in marriage to James H. Tanner on Nov. 17, 1950, in Humboldt. During Jim's career as an educator, they lived in the communities of Ayrshire, Odebolt and Renwick, settling in Northwood in 1965. Helen was a lifelong homemaker who dedicated herself to her family and the countless activities that her husband, children and grandchildren were involved with over the years. She was a wonderful cook who enjoyed flowers and gardening. Helen was also an avid Iowa Hawkeyes fan and a faithful member of the First Lutheran Church in Northwood.

Helen will be greatly missed by her son, Jim Tanner, and Arlene Rosdahl, of Northwood; three daughters, Susan Tanner, of Northwood, Sandy and Marty Aves, of Manly, and Sherry Tanner, of Glenwood; four granddaughters, Kristine and Steve Lentz, of Mason City, Jaime Tanner, of Atlanta, Ga., and Allison and Joanna Aves, both of Manly; one brother, Thomas Torkelson, of Appleton, Wis.; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Jim, in November of 2001; five sisters, and two brothers.

Mason City Globe Gazette - Iowa
June 21, 2002