Helen was born October 25, 1923 in Grinnell, Iowa to Sylvester and Amme (Cramer) Smith. She graduated from the Grinnell High School. On September 18, 1944 she married Keith Paul in National City, California while Keith was in the Marine Corps preparing to be deployed to the South Pacific. She worked at the glove factory in Grinnell and after Keith’s discharge from the Marine Corps, the couple farmed in the Grinnell area until moving to the Mabel, Minnesota area in 1972. They farmed there until 1990 when they moved to Spring Grove. Keith passed away September 24, 2005. Helen later moved to the Meadows of Mabel assisted living. She was a member of the St. Olaf Catholic Church in Mabel and enjoyed playing cards, church activities, and shopping.
Helen passed away Monday, November 19, 2018 at the Chosen Valley Care Center in Chatfield at the age of 95.
Helen is survived by seven children Dennis (Lynn) of Modesto, California, Susan Meyer of Keystone, Iowa, Daryl of Tehachapi, California, Doug (Bo) of Phoenix, Arizona, Joan of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mary Paul of Holman, Wisconsin and John Paul of North Carolina; eight grandchildren; ten great grandchildren; one great great grandchild; and a brother Larry Smith of California. She was preceded in death by her husband Keith and five brothers and sisters.
Funeral Mass will be 11 AM Wednesday, November 28, 2018 at the St. Olaf Catholic Church in Mabel with Father Stephen Abaukaka officiating. Burial will be in the Calvary Cemetery in Canton, Minnesota. Visitation will be 4 – 6 PM Tuesday, November 27th at the Mengis Funeral Home in Mabel and one hour prior to services at the church.
|
