Helen Warkenthien

Helen Warkenthien, 87, a long-time resident of Willow Lake, died Thursday, August 20, 2020, at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in De Smet, SD.

Public Visitation will be held in the Furness Funeral Home Chapel from 4PM to 6PM on Sunday, August 30, 2020. Masks or face coverings are REQUIRED in the building .

Visitation Services will continue at 12PM on Monday, August 31. Funeral Services will begin at 1PM in the Furness Funeral Home Chapel at Clark with Reverend Bryan Taffe officiating. Casketbearers will be Helen's Grandchildren. Honorary Casketbearers will be Bob Syring and Mike Korbel and the entire Johnny Fonken American Legion Post #113, The American Legion Auxilliary, and Gary Beutler.

Strict CDC social distancing measures will be in place. Masks or face coverings are REQUIRED in the building .

Burial will be in the Collins Cemetery of Willow Lake at 2:30 PM.

In lieu of flowers, memorials would be greatly appreciated.

Helen Marie (Loewen) Warkenthien was born on October 18, 1932, at rural Richey, MT, the daughter of Jacob and Lena (Ratzlaff) Loewen. She attended rural school through the 8 ^th grade.

She was united in marriage on January 8, 1956, to Donald Warkenthien in Sioux Falls. To this marriage, three daughters and a son were born. In the community she was a long-time American Legion Auxilliary member and held the office of President for 20+ years, stepping aside in 2016. She was also an active member in her Senior Citizens group, a member of the Lions Club, and active in the Grace Lutheran women's group.

She has been a caretaker all of her life, beginning at a young age caring for her mother who was inflicted with Parkinson's disease. Over the years she took on various jobs in Huron and Lake Norden while waiting for her son, James, who was attending special education classes. Throughout the 62 years of marriage she worked as a house and farm wife, where she raised chickens and was an egg candler/grader. She was a devoted mother and wife and cared for her husband up to his death in 2018. She ran the Willow Lake Sale Barn café for 22 years. She was known for baking a pretty tasty sour cream raisin pie along with rolls and hot roast beef sandwiches- to name a few.

Helen was often referred to as the "energizer bunny" as she would never sit idle, always finding something to do, whether it was inside or outside of the home. It gave her satisfaction of fixing anything that was broken.

She enjoyed a good laugh and loved to tell stories of how it was when she grew up. She enjoyed bowling, collecting coins, playing cards and Bingo, watching the Minnesota Twins, gardening, and tending to her indoor plants and flowers. She loved listening to music, especially Tennessee Ernie Ford.

Helen is preceded in death by her parents; husband; son, James; three brothers, Albert, John, and Cornelius; five sisters, Esther, Susie, Ella, Ida, and Janice.

She is survived by her children, Cheryl (Richard) Glidden of Benkelman, NE, Donna Williams of Willow Lake, Gail (Mark) Muehlethaler of Eagle, CO; nine grandchildren, Sara (Kyle) Mossman, Alison (Nick) Zoller, Kyle (Brie) Glidden and Kendal (Madie) Glidden, Nicholas (Nicole) Williams and Jillian Williams, Ben, Megan and Bryce Muehlethaler; seven great-grandchildren, Kenton, Braxton, Emersyn and Jozlyn Mossman, Nicholas Jr, Noah Williams, and Korbin Glidden; two sisters-in-law, Rose Loewen and Annadell Loewen, as well as a host of nieces and nephews.

Services are complete with Furness Funeral Home in Clark where there is an online registry at www .furnessfuneralhome.com