Helen V. Heino, age 96, of Annandale, died Tuesday, July 4, 2017 at the Annandale Care Center knowing that she was loved by family and those that knew her.

Memorial Services will be held 4:00 p.m. Friday, July 7, 2017 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Annandale with Rev. Dave Nelson officiating. Private family burial will take place at Riverside Cemetery at a later date. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service, Friday, at the church. Memorials are preferred to the “Angel Fund” at the Annandale Schools.

Helen Violet Heino was born September 20, 1920 in New York Mills, Minnesota to Christian and Mamie (Tieva) Niemi. As a young girl, Helen lived with her family in the Ely and Menahga area. They then moved to the north Minneapolis area of Glenwood Avenue. Due to her mother’s early illness and death, Helen left school to help raise her younger siblings. On December 1, 1939, Helen was united in marriage to Carl Oscar Heino in Angola, Indiana. Helen worked on B-24 Liberator bombers during WWII as a “Rosie the Riveter” at the Willow Run Manufacturing Complex in Willow Run, Michigan. She then worked as a telephone operator at Lakedale Telephone and as a waitress at Ellis’ Steakhouse. She was also a seamstress at Wonderalls in Buffalo, a cook at the Annandale Drive Inn, and worked in the bakery department at Peery's Jack & Jill. She loved working just to socialize with people. The socialization and relationships she made meant more to her than the wages. Helen then worked for over 40 years in the Annandale School District as a cook, dishwasher and then a foster grandparent. Being a foster grandparent at the Annandale Elementary School in Katie Zuehlke’s kindergarten room was the most rewarding job of her life. She loved those kindergartners as her own. She continued in her role as a foster grandma until she was 94 years old. Helen was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Annandale. She enjoyed bowling, traveling, life on Lake Sylvia, and spending time with family and friends. She loved to bring people together at family gatherings.

Helen is survived by her children, Carolyn (Gordie) Fobbe of Annandale, Delores “DeeDee” (Alan) Lorentzen of White Bear Lake, Frank (Kathy) of Buffalo, Norm of Annandale, Barb (Dave) Lundberg of Annandale, Debbie of Annandale and Randy (Colleen) of Annandale; 14 grandchildren; 25 great grandchildren; brother, Donnie (Jean) Niemi of Santa Clarita, CA; many nieces, nephews, other family members, friends, colleagues and her numerous former kindergarten students. She is preceded in death by her parents, Christian and Mamie Niemi; husband, Carl; and sisters, Lempi Envey and Ruth Swekel and her numerous friends she has missed over the years.

The urn bearers will be Helen’s grandsons, Brian, Greg, and Terry Fobbe, Erik Lorentzen, Jon Lundberg, and Carl Heino and Helen’s granddaughters, Jill Waataja, Lanette Paumen, Amy Feist, Nori Heino, Katie Heino, Mandy Smoot, Gretchen Olson, and Kelsey Heino will serve as honorary pallbearers. Becky Unger and Jon Mackereth will provide the music for the service. Arrangements are entrusted with Dingmann Funeral Care Burial & Cremation Services of Annandale.

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