Helen Willenborg

HELEN WILLENBORG

Dyersville

Helen Jane Willenborg, 93, of Dyersville, died Tuesday, April 29, 2014, at the Good Neighbor Home in Manchester. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday, May 4, at Kramer Funeral Home, 750 12th Ave. SW, Dyersville, where the Catholic Daughters of America (CD of A) and the VFW/ American Legion Auxiliary will recite the rosary at 4 p.m. and a parish vigil service will be at 5 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 5, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyers-ville, with burial in the church cemetery. The Rev. Dennis Quint will officiate.

Helen was born Aug. 7, 1920, in Dyersville, Iowa, the only daughter of John and Grace (Bockenstedt) Naber. She graduated from Xavier High School in 1938. Helen married Maurice G. Willenborg on Nov. 9, 1943, in Dyersville. When Maurice returned from his tour of duty in World War II, they farmed near Petersburg until they retired to Dyersville in 1983. Helen later moved to Ellen Kennedy Living Center in May 2012.

Helen was active in her community volunteering at Oak Crest Manor, Beckman Catholic High School, the Dyer House and St. Mary's Hospital Auxiliary and she led the rosary at the Basilica. She was a member of CD of A, American Legion Auxiliary Post 137, VFW Auxiliary Post 7736, Friends of the Library and the Dyersville Historical Society.

She was a good cook and enjoyed her vegetable and beautiful flower gardens. Helen loved to visit with her many relatives – she being the oldest living relative of the Naber-Bocken-stedt families. She treasured many activities, especially Christmas, with her family, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Those left to cherish her memory are her daughters, Carla (William) Aldershof of Little Rock, Ark., Lola (Dean) Baragary of Winthrop, Paula Forest of Iowa City and Nyla (Randy) Pettinger of Eden Prairie, Minn.; grandchildren, Jeffrey (Dana) Baum, Jon (Tina) Baum, Elizabeth Forest, Zachary (Mia) Pettinger and Abby Pettinger (Chris Hech); great-grandchildren, Jesse, Emily, Ashley and Jacob Baum, Charlie and Evan Baum; stepgrand-children, Julie Horne, Leslie George and Sean Baragary (Kelsey Leonard); stepgreat-grandchildren, Joe, John, Josh and Jordan Horne and Caleb and Tessa George; sisters-in-law, Betty Naber, Kay Naber and Caryl Willenborg; brother-in-law, Lee Krapfl; and many nieces and nephews.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Maurice in 2001; a daughter, Marcia Lynn in 1953; parents-in-law, Herman and Ella Willenborg; brothers, Donald "Bud" and William Naber; brother and sister-in-law, Robert (Marcella) Naber; sister-in-law, Mildred Krapfl; and brother-in-law, Marvin Willenborg.

Memorials may be given to Beckman Catholic High School, St. Francis Xavier Basilica, Ellen Kennedy Living Center, Above and Beyond Hospice or the Good Neighbor Home.

A special thank you to the caring and professional staff of the Ellen Kennedy Living Center and Good Neighbor Home.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.kramerfuneral.com.