Obituary
Hilda Anna Helkenn Beyer
Hilda Anna Helkenn Beyer was born 18 February 1917 in Galva Township, Ida County, Iowa and died 23 October 2016 in Galesville, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin at the age of 99 years, 8 months, and 5 days. She was the daughter of John G. and Marie “Mary” Schubert Helkenn, born fifth of their ten children. Hilda married Clarence C. S. Beyer on 9 March 1938 in Ida Grove, Ida County, Iowa and the couple had three children, Jean, Paul and Patti. Clarence and Hilda farmed more than 40 years in Ida County, first briefly on 80 acres in Logan Township along the south side of Hwy 20, then a few years on the Helkenn Home Place in Galva Township, but mostly on the Beyer Home Place, also in Galva Township along the north side of Hwy 20. In 1981 Clarence and Hilda retired to a home on South Kiel Street in Holstein, Iowa.
Hilda helped Clarence in farm work, was skilled at sewing clothing for her family and helped provide their food by raising a large garden and many chickens. She was a creative person, and she encouraged creativity in her children, in art, music and crafts. She bequeathed to each of her children her love of family and of nature.
Clarence died in 1993 and in the following year Hilda moved to Wisconsin to be near her daughters. Hilda was also preceded in death by her parents, all of her siblings and all but one of their spouses, and in 1999 by her son, Paul. Hilda is survived by Paul’s wife, Ann of Michigan and their son/Hilda’s grandson, Avery Beyer of Idaho, by her daughter Jean and son-in-law Gary Ruhser, daughter Patti and son-in-law Jeffrey Rostvold, granddaughter Gayle Ruhser Edlin and husband Dean, granddaughter Janis Ruhser, and great granddaughter Jayne Edlin all of Wisconsin. Also surviving is one sister-in-law, Virginia Helkenn (widow of Hilda’s brother Glenn) of Alaska.
In accordance with Hilda’s wishes, cremation was arranged to occur promptly without services. Her ashes will be buried in Galva Township Cemetery next to Clarence at a later date.
I am very sorry to hear of Hilda’s passing. I have many good memories of visits to the farm by Holstein.