Helen A (Simon) Simonson

Helen Simonson, age 81, of Sedan, MN, died peacefully on Sunday, May 12, 2019, at her residence, surrounded by family and under the care of Glacial Ridge Hospice. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Friday at Chippewa Falls Lutheran Church in Terrace, with Pastor Brenda Boogren officiating. Visitation will be from 5:00 – 7:00 P.M. on Thursday at the funeral home in Glenwood and will continue at the church on Friday morning, one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in Chippewa Falls Lutheran Cemetery. Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home of Glenwood.

Helen Ann Simon, the eldest daughter of LaVern and Susan (Riley) Simon, was born on September 11, 1937, in Spring Lake Park, Minnesota. She grew up and attended school and church in Spring Lake Park, along with her 11 siblings. She was a 1956 graduate of Spring Lake Park High School. Following high school she stayed home and helped her mother with her younger siblings. During this time, she met and dated Orville W. Simonson of Sedan. Orville had brothers, and Helen had sisters, and as fate would have it, her sisters Betty and Alice and his brothers Orin and Arnold, began dating and all three couples eventually married.

On March 28, 1959, Helen and Orville were united in marriage at Columbia Heights. Their marriage was blessed with seven children, DeWayne, Brian, John, Dean, Cindy, Brenda, and Hope. The family made their home in Minneapolis. Helen was a stay-at-home mom, while Orville worked for the Soo Line Railroad and later operated a landscaping business with his brothers. In 1975, the family moved to Sedan, where they lived on Orville’s family’s homestead. Orville was employed at Glenwood Manufacturing and Swanson Fertilizer in Brooten and the family operated a salvage business. During this time, with their youngest in high school, Helen trained as a nurse’s aide. She worked at Bethany Home in Alexandria for 27 years before her retirement. She enjoyed caring for patients and felt blessed to be able to care for her husband’s parents who were residents there.

Helen was a caretaker her entire life, first caring for her siblings and then her own children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. When her family was young she raised huge vegetable gardens and in later years enjoyed her flower gardens. She and Orville shared 42 years of marriage before his death on November 7, 2001. Helen continued to make her home in Sedan until the time of her death on Sunday, May 12, 2019, following a brief illness. May her memory be blessed.

Helen is survived by her seven children, Cindy (Lenny) Bonrud of Glenwood, DeWayne of North Dakota, Brenda (Kirk) Hanson of South Dakota, Hope (John Eder) Marquette of Benson, Brian (Sharon) of Sedan, Jonathan (Kristy) of Alexandria, Dean (Betty) of Sedan; 17 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren; a sister, Charlene (Robert) Carrizales of Texas; two brothers, Eddie (Mable) Simon and Tony (Stacy) Simon, all of Texas; along with numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, LaVern and Susan; her husband, Orville; four brothers, Jerry, George, Terry, and Joe; and four sisters, Betty Simonson, Alice Simonson-Townsend, Linda Stanford and Etta Bidler.

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