Helen Christiansen

Helen L. Christiansen, age 91, of Newell, Iowa died November 21, 2015 in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Memorial services will take place Wednesday, November 25, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at Bethel Baptist Church in Newell. Burial will be Wednesday, November 25, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. in the Newell Cemetery. Visitation will take place Tuesday, November 24, 2015 from 5-7:00 p.m. at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake. In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements. Helen Louise (Van Ryswyk) Christiansen was born on April 12, 1924, in Jasper County, Iowa, to Peter and Nellie Van Ryswyk. Helen graduated from Monroe High School after which she attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois. Helen returned to Des Moines, Iowa where she did secretarial work for Luthe Hardware for a number of years. Helen met and subsequently married Milo N. Christiansen, at Grandview Park Baptist Church in Des Moines, Iowa on August 8, 1952. They were married for forty eight years at the time of Milo’s death in 2000. After marriage, Helen and Milo worked in Des Moines for several years before moving back to the family farm in Newell, Iowa, where they raised their family and became active members of Bethel Baptist Church. After Helen and Milo retired from the farm, Helen worked at the Orange Tree Travel as a travel agent and the Newell Public Library as the head librarian. Helen will always be remembered for her sweet, gracious spirit which was evident to all who met and knew her. Helen’s gift of music through the piano, organ, and singing was a blessing to many people in the Des Moines and Newell areas through the years. Helen moved to Waterloo, Iowa in 2012, where she lived with her daughter, Sharon, and most recently lived at Bickford Cottage of Cedar Falls, Iowa, until the time of her death. Helen was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Milo; and sister, Dorothy Van Hermert. Helen was loved and will greatly be missed by her children: Sharon (Arlen) Yost of Waterloo, Iowa; Dale (Diana) Christiansen of Newell, Iowa; Carol (Mark) Hillebrand of Clear Lake, Iowa; seven grandchildren: Allison (Nate) Beach of Waterloo, Iowa; Cassie Yost of Cedar Falls, Iowa; Jon (Audrey) Yost of Buckeye, Iowa; Carl Christiansen (fiancé, Shaylee Olhausen) of Ankeny, Iowa; Ruth (Ryan) Witt of Reedsburg, Wisconsin; Brad (Brooke) Hillebrand of Grundy Center, Iowa; Kelsey (Brady) Zantingh of Ankeny, Iowa; five great grandchildren: Gabe and Liam Beach, Vanessa Yost, Mickey Hillebrand, and Brett Zantingh; and her always devoted brothers: John (Kay) Van Ryswyk of Monroe, Iowa; and Carl (Shirley) Van Ryswyk of Austin, Texas.

Helen Christiansen

April 12, 1924 - November 21, 2015