Shields, Hellen Henrietta

Hellen Henrietta Shields, 98, formerly of Hiawatha, died Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012, at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids after a long illness. A Service of Remembrance will be held 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28, at New Disciples Church, 2000 Wiley Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids, store front No. 103, by the Rev. Stasia Fine. Teahen Funeral Home, Cedar Rapids, is serving the family.

Hellen is survived by her niece, Elizabeth Teed of Palo; nephew, Walter (Ann) Hartl of Cedar Rapids; nieces, Darlene Dodds of Hemet, Calif., Peggy Kidwell of LaVerna, Calif., Christine Fulwider of DeWitt, Cathy (Dr. Joseph) Price of Traverse City, Mich., Cynda Nygaard of Salt Lake City, Utah and Rebecca (Tim) Heiskell of North Carolina; and 20 great-nieces and great-nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Clifford; a sister, Iona Hartl; three brothers-in-law, Carl Shields, Milo Hartl and Edgar Shields; three sisters-in-law, Helena Shields, Martha Shields and Helen Smith; and nephews, Merle Teed, Orval Kidwell and Olav Nygard.

Hellen was born April 8, 1914, in Alexandria, S.D., the daughter of Everett Gideon and Hanna Fehlberg Thomas. The family moved to Cedar Rapids in 1927. She graduated from Grant High School in 1932 and later took classes at Coe College. She was united in marriage with Clifford William Shields on May 24, 1934, in Shellsburg. He died in 1972. They lived in the Cedar Rapids and Marion area until 1960, when they bought a farm and moved to the Coggon-Ryan area. In 1997, she sold her home in Coggon and moved to Hiawatha to be near her sister.

Hellen's working career began early with baby-sitting. While working as an elevator operator, she became the voice of “Betty Baker,” the Iowa Electric Light and Power Co.'s spokeswoman on the noon news on WMT radio. During World War II she was employed as a machine operator and Quality Control inspector at Collins Radio and continued working there for 13 years. She also wrote a weekly column “When They Come Home” for the Cedar Rapids Tribune. After her husband's death she became a 4-H leader in Delaware County and then was employed as parts manager for the Ellis Implement dealership in Coggon.

Hellen was involved in community affairs, representing Collins Radio on the Allied Industrial League, was active with Community Theatre and later served on the Central Committee of the Republican Party as a representative from Jackson Township. She had been a member of the Marabra Chapter of ABWA and of the General Federation of Women's Clubs.

Hellen was an active member of First Christian Church in Coggon. She served on many church committees, was a Sunday school teacher and superintendent for several years and had served as an elder and delegate for more than 25 years.

At age 75, she joined the American Red Cross, where, after many classes and experiences in the field, she became a Family Service specialist and an instructor. During her tenure she served on 30 national disasters, as well as working on local disaster teams. Her “fun” job was being on the Red Cross Speakers Bureau. When addressing school children and business groups, her opening line was always, “It is a privilege and a challenge to be a part of the American Red Cross.” Hellen retired from the American Red Cross at age 85. In 1998, she was one of five Freedom Festival Heroes and that fall received the Iowa Governor's Award for Volunteerism.

Memorials may be made to the American Red Cross or a charity of choice.

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

Published Oct. 22, 2012 in The Gazette