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Clifford Helgens
CLIFFORD HELGENS
Monticello
Clifford Helgens, 90, died Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, at Monticello Nursing and Rehabilitation Center following an extended illness.
Funeral services will be held 11 o'clock Thursday morning, Sept. 7, at Wayne Zion Lutheran Church, rural Monticello. Interment: Wayne Zion Cemetery, with military honors. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Goettsch Funeral Home, Monticello.
Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at www.goettschonline.com.
Surviving are his wife, Donna; three children, Karen Helgens, Iowa City, Jane (Bill) Collins, Waukon, and Kent (Kelly) Helgens, Monticello; six granddaughters, Cara, Nicole and Alyssa Collins, Melissa (Erik) Motley, Katie Helgens and Taylor (Justin) Sieverding; four great-grandsons, Mason and Morgan Motley, Parker and Kennford Sieverding; and his sister, Dorothy Ketelsen, Naperville, Ill.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a son, Bruce.
Clifford Harm Helgens was born May 22, 1927, in Wayne Township, Jones County, Iowa, the son of Herman H. and Lena J. Zimmerman Helgens. Cliff attended Wayne Township School No. 4 and graduated from Monticello Community High School with the Class of 1945. He then farmed with his father until he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Cliff returned from the Army in 1953 and continued farming in Wayne Township. Clifford and Donna Brenneman were married June 6, 1959, in Iowa City, Iowa. He retired from active farming in 1997.
Cliff and his father were known for their Poland China hogs and Shorthorn cattle.
Cliff was a lifelong member of Wayne Zion Lutheran Church, where he was baptized on June 8, 1927, and confirmed his faith on April 6, 1941. He had also served on the church council. Cliff was a township trustee, a board member of Systems Unlimited in Iowa City and Have in Monticello. He was a 4-H leader for the Wayne Wranglers and bowled with Jake's Standard Team.
The family would like to thank the staff of Monticello Nursing and Rehabilitation, Above and Beyond Hospice, and especially Patty Tredway for taking such good care of Cliff.
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