Helen Hausner, age 97, of Mahnomen, MN, passed away Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at the Mahnomen Health Care Center Nursing Home.
Helen was born on November 5, 1913 to Edward and Mary (Mrkvicka) Kucera on the family farm, near Silver Lake, MN. Helen attended grades 1thru 8 in a one-room country school. After graduating from 8th grade, she began working on the family farm, picking strawberries in Hopkins and working for neighbors and relatives. In 1930 while on a visit to Mahnomen she met the love of her life, Jack Hausner. Two years later they were married on November 3, 1932 at St. Michaels Catholic Church in Mahnomen. They made their home together in Mahnomen for 63 years.
Helen was a kind and gentle person. She saw the good in each person and had a happy positive outlook on life. Everyone in town affectionately called her "Grandma". Her love of the outdoors matched that of her husband's. Together they fished year-round and hunted geese, ducks, pheasant, and deer. She was an expert at filleting turtles. Helen could spot a morel mushroom in the woods before any of her children or grandchildren could. She loved camping and was able to start a campfire with one match and toast the perfect marshmallow. She passed on her love of these things to her grandchildren.
Helen is survived by a daughter, Beverly (Ted) Flicek of East Grand Forks, MN; a son, Jack Hausner of Mahnomen; nine grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, Jack, on April 10, 1995; daughter, Annette Burke, on August 6, 2007; daughter-in-law, Johnnie Hausner, on December 1, 1996; granddaughter, Dawn Kirsch, on December 9, 2007; and sister, Elizabeth (Leander) Neisen, on January 12, 1999.
Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at 2 pm at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Mahnomen, MN.
Visitation will be held on Monday, October 17, 2011 from 5-7 pm with a prayer service starting at 6:30 pm at Anderson~Mattson Funeral Home in Mahnomen and also one hour prior to mass at the church on Tuesday.
Burial will be in the St. Michael's Catholic Cemetery, Mahnomen, MN.