Helen Johanna (Eliason) BERKENES

ELIASON, BERKENES, HOLBROCK, HUNTLEY, WOODARD, DELL, VEECK, FRENCH, SCHULTES

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:41

Helen Johanna Berkenes
June 27, 1926 --- March 12, 2018

Helen Johanna Eliason Berkenes, the daughter of Olaf C. Eliason and Pearle Holbrock Eliason, was born on June 27, 1926 [in Norway township, Wright countu, Iowa]. She attended Norway Township Rural School No. 1 in Wright County and graduated from Kanawha High School with honors. She then attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Iowa. On December 30, 1944, Johanna was united in marriage to Arthur Eli Berkenes at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. They made their home on a farm southwest of Kanawha until 1972 when they purchased a farm northeast of Kanawha where they lived until 1980, at which time they moved to Corydon, Iowa where they lived and farmed until their retirement in 1985.

Their retirement years were spent in Eagle Grove until August 2013 when they moved to The Meadows in Clarion. While living in the Kanawha area, Johanna was very active at the St John's Lutheran Church as Sunday School superintendent, Sunday School teacher, ALCW women's president and other offices, bible study leader, choir member and served as the ALC convention delegate several times. She was also a member of the Wright County Women's Chorus in Clarion. In Corydon, she and Art attended the Corydon United Methodist Church where she was a member and secretary of U.M.W., taught the adult Sunday School class, was president of the Hostia Club and member of the PEO Chapter BR. During retirement in Eagle Grove, Johanna and Art were members of Emanuel Lutheran Church. She served as the WELCA president and secretary as well as being a circle leader. She was also a member of PEO Chapter EJ, and served as its chaplain and secretary. Later she joined the United Methodist Church of Eagle Grove. Johanna loved books and made learning a lifelong enterprise, reading primarily theology, history, and biographies. She often read more than one hundred books per year and encouraged her children and grandchildren to cultivate a love for books.

Johanna passed away Monday, March 12, 2018, at The Meadows in Clarion at the age of 91 years. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Art; brothers Bill and George Eliason; sister Shirley Eliason and great granddaughter Hailey Huntley. Survivors include her daughter, Mary Huntley (Jay) of Goldfield; sons, David Berkenes (Debby) of Granger, IN and Robert Berkenes (Joyce) of Altoona; grandchildren: Les Huntley (Tonjala), Thomas Huntley (Deanna), Michelle Huntley Woodard (Brian), Melanie Berkenes Dell (Jason), Alison Berkenes Veeck, Holly Berkenes French (Damien), Tiffany Berkenes, Cory Berkenes (Crystal); great grandchildren: Nathan Huntley (Olivia), Mikaela Schultes (Ryan), Hannah Huntley, Preston Huntley, Victoria Huntley, Nicholas Huntley, Reid Huntley and Jayden Woodard, Christopher Dell, Caroline Dell, Alayna Veeck, Adrian Veeck, Cameron Veeck, Dawson French, Lilah French, Elsie Berkenes, and Emerson Berkenes; great-great granddaughter Kyrie Huntley; and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 17, 2018, at the United Methodist Church in Eagle Grove with Pastor Don Morrison officiating. Burial will be in Norway Township Cemetery near Kanawha. Visitation is Friday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Foust Funeral Home in Eagle Grove. Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family.