Helen Church

Helen V. Church, 86, of Aurora, passed away on Sunday, July 29, 2012, at Dickinson County Healthcare System. Helen was born on Feb. 12, 1926, in Armstrong Creek, Wis., daughter of the late Peter and Mary (Janik) Czech. She was raised in this area and graduated from Goodman High School in 1944. During her summer vacations from high school, Helen was involved in the World War II effort by working as an assembler in an airplane parts factory. She married Gordon Church on Oct. 16, 1948, at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Armstrong Creek. Helen worked as a machine operator at Hancock Wood Products for 30 years. She was also the union steward and union president at Hancock Wood Products. Before working her full-time job at Hancock Wood Products, she worked her other full-time job - raising her 10 children. Helen was a talented seamstress and made much of the wardrobe for herself and six daughters. She was a member of Sacred Heart Church, Christian Mothers of Sacred Heart and the Polish National Alliance. Helen spoke fluent Polish her entire life and was a talented chef of Polish foods. She was an American Cancer Society volunteer and participated 30 years in the Society's Cancer Prevention Study-II, providing information to cancer risk researchers. She was active in the Aurora Sewing Club, the Senior Exercise Club and enjoyed gardening. Helen is survived by her husband of 63 years, Gordon; her children, Juanita (David Burgess) Carlson of Lawrence, Kan., Katherine (Ray) Mianecki of Green Bay, Wis., Marilyn (Bill) Vassar of Aurora, Patricia (David) Menace of Iron Mountain, Fran (Andy) Herman of Niagara, Wis., Veronica Church of Niagara, Gerard (Linda) Church of Homestead, Joseph Church of Aurora, and Jon Church of Kingsford; 21 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, and other relatives. She was preceded in death by her son, Peter; brothers, Paul and Andrew; sisters, Katherine, Genevieve and Marie; and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Wednesday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Aurora. Funeral services will follow Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the church. Fr. Matthew Settle will offer the Mass of the Christian Burial. Burial will be in the Homestead-Aurora Cemetery on Friday at 11:30 a.m. Helen's grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Condolences may be expressed to the family of Helen V. Church online at ernashfuneralhomes.com The family has entrusted the Tondin-Ross & Freeman Funeral Home of Iron Mountain with the funeral arrangements.

Helen Church

July 29, 1926 - July 29, 2012