Obituary of Joan Marie Helle

Joan M. Helle, 89, of Dyersville, Iowa died Thursday, February 26, 2015, at Stonehill Care Center, Dubuque. Friends may call from 2:00 - 8:00 p.m. Sunday, March 1, 2015, at Kramer Funeral Home, 750 12th Ave SW in Dyersville where a parish vigil service will be held at 8:00 p.m. Friends may continue to call after 9:00 a.m. Monday, at the funeral home prior to funeral Mass. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 2, 2015, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville with burial in the church cemetery. Rev. Dennis Quint will officiate and Deacon Roger Riesberg will assist. Joan was born September 24, 1925, in Worthington, Iowa the daughter of Sylverius and Angela (Kramer) Jaeger. She married George B. Helle on May 1, 1946. Together they owned Helle Livestock in Dyersville. Joan enjoyed quilting, embroidery work, baking, gardening and spending time with her family. She enjoyed the many visits from the family, especially the grandchildren and great grandchildren. Surviving are her children: Sr. Mary Ann Helle OSF of Dubuque, Frank (Joann) Helle, Bob (Camie Pedersen) Helle, Paul (Stella) Helle and Doris (Clair) Riesberg, all of Dyersville, Marlene (Ambrose) Koopmann of Epworth, Joanie (Tom) Tauke of Greeley, LuAnn (Bob) Cigrand of Cascade, Janet Schwendinger, Ruth (Larry) Griffin, all of Dubuque, LeRoy (Margie) Helle of Hopkinton, Norma (Gerald) Kelchen of Manchester, George (Connie) Helle of Anamosa and Pearl (Harold) Kelchen of Ryan, 68 grandchildren, 109 great grandchildren, 22 great great grandchildren; siblings: Norma (Laverne) Petsche of Dyersville, Marilyn (Pat) Werner of Dyersville, Bill Jaeger, John (Ruth) Jaeger, both of Manchester, Leo (Diane) Jaeger of Kenton, OH, Leroy Jaeger of Earlville and Loras (Mikki) Jaeger of Davenport. She was preceded in death by her husband, George in 1985, a son-in-law, John Schwendinger in 2014, her parents, her step mother, Coletta (Pottebaum) Jaeger, grandchildren, Tom Kelchen, Wanda (Dave) Eilers, Dorothy Helle, Barbara Koopmann, great granddaughter, Ashley Meyers; siblings, Jeanne Ann and Eldon Jaeger in infancy, Urban (Irene) Jaeger, Della Rose Downey, Eileen (John) Appel; in-laws: Anita Jaeger, Diane Jaeger and Mary Ann Jaeger. Special thanks to Stonehill Care Center for the wonderful care given to Joan over the past 20 years. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.kramerfuneral.com.