Helen F. Reis, 79, of Coon Rapids, Iowa, passed away unexpectedly at her home on Tuesday, February 25, 2020.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, March 2, 2020 at 10:00 A.M. at Annunciation Catholic Church in Coon Rapids with Father Patrick Behm as Celebrant. Music for the Mass will be by Diane Slater and the Annunciation Choir. Lector for the Mass will be Abby Reis, Lindsey Izurieta, and Alysha Heue. Eucharistic Minister will be Deacon Louis Meiner and Pat Kult. Gift bearers will be McKenzie McCall, Kennedi Vondrak, Jaycie Vondrak, and Bentley Vondrak. Burial will be in the Coon Rapids Cemetery. Friends may call at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Coon Rapids after 4:00 P.M. on Sunday where there will be a Christian Wake Service at 6:00 P.M. followed by a Rosary. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Coon Rapids and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com
Helen Francis was born March 20, 1940, at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll, Iowa, and was the daughter of Mathias and Gertrude (Klocke) Rothmeyer. She was baptized and confirmed at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Carroll. She attended Glidden Community Schools through 3rd grade and then transferred to St Joseph’s in Dedham until the end of 6th grade. She spent 7th and 8th grade at Glidden Middle School, before transferring to Carroll Kuemper Catholic Schools graduating with the High School Class of 1958.
On October 11, 1958, she was united in marriage to Joseph Paul Reis at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Carroll. They were blessed with seven children: Kevin, Kraig, Kim, Kelly, Kris, Kalynne, and Kari. They originally made their home in Wall Lake, Iowa where they lived for 5 years before moving to Odebolt, Iowa. In the spring of 1972, they moved from Odebolt to five miles north of Coon Rapids. Upon Joseph’s retirement, they moved into Coon Rapids in January of 1998 and Joseph died on February 14, 1998.
Helen was a homemaker who kept busy raising her children and tending to her large flower and vegetable gardens. In the mid 1980’s Helen worked outside the home part time at the nursing home in Bayard in the laundry department. In the early 1990’s, she became employed with the Coon Rapids Community School District in the dietary department where she worked for several years. Helen then began working as a Nutrition Coordinator for Head Start at Community Opportunities in Carroll until she retired in 2017.
Helen was a member of Annunciation Catholic Church in Coon Rapids and sang in the church choir and was part of the church guild. She was also a member of the Carrollton Community Club. In their younger years Helen and Joseph were members of the Left Footers Square Dancing Club. Helen enjoyed playing cards and was in several neighborhood card clubs throughout the years. She always enjoyed decorating inside and out for each and every holiday. But most of all she loved spending time with her children and grandchildren, following all of their activities they were involved in. She will always be remembered for her infectious smile, her “gift of gab” and making time to sit down and have a pop with anyone.
She is preceded in death by her husband Joseph Paul Reis; her parents Mathias and Gertrude Rothmeyer; her brother Vernon Rothmeyer; and several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
Helen is survived by her children: Kevin (Rhonda) Reis of Coon Rapids, Kraig (Linda) Reis of Coon Rapids, Kim (Kelli) Reis of Webster City, IA, Kelly Reis and significant other Karen Bennett both of Vail, IA, Kris Reis and significant other Heather Lee both of Tyner, NC, Kalynne (Mike) Heue of Radcliffe, IA, and Kari (Jesse) Vondrak of Kingsley, IA; her grandchildren: Jesse (Becca) Reis of Polk City, IA, Lindsey (Chris) Izurieta of Alameda, CA, Gage Reis and significant other Sydney Hustedt both of Des Moines, IA, Nicholas Reis of Scottsdale, AZ, Abby Reis and significant other Tino Ruiz San Antonio, TX, Joshua (Lydia) Reis of Dakota Dunes, SD, Kaleb (Shannon) Reis of Coon Rapids, Amy Reis of Indianapolis, IN, Izaac Reis and significant other Karlie Kinneer both of White Plains, NY, Matthew (Megan) Reis of Newton, IA, Kendall Reis, Kamden Reis, Charlotte Reis, and Asher Reis all of Tyner, NC, Alysha Heue of Radcliffe, Taylor Heue and significant other Jason Smith both of Lamoni, IA, McKenzie (Nick) McCall of Polk City, Kennedi Vondrak, Jaycie Vondrak, and Bentley Vondrak all of Kingsley, 8 great grandchildren; her sister Linda (Jerry) Wenck of Rio Vista, CA; her sister-in-law Janice Huisenga of Norwalk, IA; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.