Obituary of Helen Noonan

Helen is survived by her husband, Maurice; a son, Jeffrey Kolls of Corpus Christi, TX; two granddaughters: Jennifer (Lee) Williams of Houston, TX and Susan Kolls of Beaumont, TX; three great-grandchildren: Brandon and Sara Williams and Nicholas Ryan; three brothers-in-law, Jim Noonan of Eagle Grove, IA, Dick Noonan of Humboldt, IA and Dick Tomke of Eagle Grove, IA; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by an older sister, Florence Grams, who died in 1967 in St Louis, MO. Helen Lippens Kolls Noonan was born February 8, 1921, in Rock Island, IL the daughter of Peter & Ella (Vandenberghe) Lippens. She attended St Mary?s School in Rock Island, IL through 8th grade and went on to St Joseph School for her freshman year and graduated from Rock Island High School in 1939. She worked at the Rock Island Chamber of Commerce as office secretary until 1943. Helen married Lt Truman Kolls from Rock Island. Lt Kolls was a flight instructor for the Air Force at Bakersfield, CA. They were stationed at Merced AFB (Cal Aero) in Ontario, CA. Later they moved to McDill AFB in Tampa FL. Lt Kolls served in the Phillipines. After the war they were transferred to Offitt AFB in Omaha. Lt Kolls was killed in an Air Force plane in 1954. A son, Jeff, was born in 1947, while his father was in the Phillipines. After Lt Kolls? death, Helen and Jeff returned to Rock Island to care for Helen?s mother who passed away in 1956. Helen and Jeff then moved to Glendale near St Louis, MO to be near her sister. It was at this time that Helen met Maurice Noonan. They were married at Mary Queen of Peace Church in Webster Grove, MO on August 13, 1960. Helen and Maury were blessed with two wonderful granddaughters, Jennifer and Susan, and three great grandchildren. In 1969 when the Dyersville Hospital was built, Helen started as a volunteer at Oak Crest Manor. Her husband, Maury, had purchased the Dyersville Commercial from Blanche Smith. Blanche was admitted to the nursing home and Helen began visiting her each week. As she gradually came to know other residents, she conceived of an idea to write a column for her husband?s newspaper capitalizing on the current and past lives of the residents. The column, which became known as ?Seen & Scenes?, covered entertainment and visitation for the residents. The column ran weekly in the Dyersville Commercial from 1970 to 1984 when the paper was sold. Helen continued visiting residents until 2002 when her health precluded regular visits. Because of her interest and involvement with so many residents, Helen served on the Mercy Care Review Committee for the nursing home from 1982 through 2002. Helen has donated 10,000 hours at Oak Crest Manor and Mercy Medical Center in Dyersville. She was a member of the Dyersville Federated Women?s Club. Maury and Helen retired to the Ellen Kennedy Living Center in 2002. Memorials are preferred to Cookie Scherrman?s Haiti Fund.