Helen M Helgesen

Helen M. Helgesen, 97, of Sparta died Monday, May 14, 2018  at the Morrow Memorial Home, Sparta. She was born June 20, 1920 in Upper Big Creek, Monroe County, Wisconsin to Maurice and Helma (Olson) Johnson. She attended upper Big Creek School and graduated from Sparta High School in 1937. Her older sister Mabel told her she could not start school until she could recite the alphabet backwards and she never forgot it.

On March 29, 1939 Helen married Floyd A. Helgesen in Madison, Wisconsin. They spent the first 18 years of marriage on the Helgesen Family Farm in Daneville east of Cataract, Wisconsin.

After the Family moved to Sparta in 1957 she worked as a bookkeeper at the Sparta Co-op Oil Company (the DX Station) for many years and was very active in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints. After retirement she volunteered as a house parent at Negel Hall, on the old Child Center Campus.  She also spent many years delivering meals to shut-ins for the Meals on Wheels Program in Sparta. In addition to that she took great pride in cooking meals for the family and after she put 3 or 4 helpings on your plate, and you could not finish all of it, she would ask “Don’t you like my cooking?”.

She is survived by one daughter Leslea (James) Rapp, Sheridan, WY, eight grandchildren as well as great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Floyd, son Sidney M. Helgesen, sisters Mabel F. Tucker, Marian L. Schorr, Audrey D. Baux, Shirley I. Lakowske and one brother Maurice R. Johnson.

After 52 years the “5” Johnson Sisters are all together again.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 18, 2018 at the Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home, Sparta, with Darlene Pohl and James Edwards officiating. Burial will be in the Cataract Cemetery, Cataract, WI.

Visitation for Helen will be at the funeral home on Friday from 10 a.m. until the time of services. Online condolences may be offered to the Helgesen family at www.schanhoferfh.com. Memorials may be made in Helen’s name to the Morrow home.

The Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

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