Helen Houseal

HELEN ANN HOUSEAL

Iowa City

Helen Ann Houseal, 89, of St. Joseph, Mich., passed away peacefully Sunday, Nov. 27, 2016, surrounded by family. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, at Starks & Menchinger Chapel and Cremation Services, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, with the rosary recited at 6:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 220 Church St., St. Joseph. Burial will take place at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Battle Creek, Mich. Memorials may be made to Birthright of St. Joseph Inc., St. Joseph Catholic Church or Lake Michigan Catholic Schools. Those wishing to sign Helen's memory book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com.

Helen was born to Lawrence and Helena (Kessler) Rohret, on Jan. 10, 1927, in West Liberty, Iowa. She graduated from Cosgrove High School in 1944 and earned her bachelor's degree in liberal arts from Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa, in 1948. She was an eloquent writer and an accomplished photographer. After teaching English for two years in Wyoming, she returned to Iowa and earned her master's degree in biochemistry at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. It was there she met William Houseal.

In 1953, she married William Houseal at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Cosgrove, Iowa. In 1957, they moved to St. Joseph, Mich., where they raised their nine children, hosted several foreign exchange students and took in two Polish refugee families, helping them to get established in the United States.

In 1977, after four years of prayerful consideration, Helen founded Birthright of St. Joseph Inc., a non-profit crisis pregnancy service helping women to carry their babies to term by utilizing volunteers who provide unconditional love, practical support and non-judgmental compassion to all who come in or call for help. She was executive director and president of Birthright of St. Joseph Inc. for 25 years, regional consultant for the states of Michigan and Indiana for 35 years, served on the board of directors for over 39 years, until the time of her death, and tirelessly volunteered for nearly 40 years. In 2000, she was honored to receive the Margaret B. Upton Volunteer Leadership Award. In 2013, she received Birthright International's Ruthie Ford Regional Consultant's Service Award. Also in 2013, she received the Louise Summerhill Pinnacle Award for 35 years of love and selfless dedication to women and their unborn children and to the ideals of Birthright.

She was preceded in death by her devoted husband, Bill, after 62 years of marriage. She was also preceded in death by her eldest son, Matthew Houseal; and her brother, Thomas Rohret.

She is survived by her children, Timothy (Leslie), Stephen (Julie), Anne (Paul), Joseph, Elizabeth, David, John (Gail) and Maria; her daughter-in-law, Luzma; 36 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and sisters, Genevieve Zimmerman and Kathryn Hughes.

Helen was a lady of unwavering integrity and fidelity, compassionate kindness, exceptional intelligence and profound humility. Helen truly lived her faith and was a shining example of God's love.