Helen Weitzel

Helen Trautman Weitzel, resident of Harvard Rest Haven, died on Friday, February 9, 2007, four months before her 100th birthday.

Services will be Tuesday, February 13, 2007; 1:00 P.M. at Butler-Volland Chapel with Pastor Dorothy Aspegren officiating. Burial will be in Harvard Cemetery, Harvard, Nebraska. Memorials to Harvard Rest Haven, Box 546, Harvard, Nebraska 68944. Visitation will be Sunday, February 11, 2007; 1pm-9pm, Monday, February 12, 2007; 9am-9pm with family present 7pm-8pm & Tuesday, February 13, 2007; 9am until service time at the funeral home.

Helen was the daughter of the late Katherine and Henry Trautman of Sutton and widow of Lester C. Weitzel of Hastings. She was born at Bixby, Nebraska on June 16, 1907 and attended school in Grafton, Nebraska. She and Lester where married on June 14, 1930 in Smith Center, Kansas and he preceded her in death on March 18, 1985. They lived in Hastings and Detroit, Michigan during their early years of marriage. They returned to farm in Fillmore and Clay counties, living west of Harvard for 20 years until retirement. They retired to Hastings in 1974 where she lived in her own home and at the Regency Retirement Apartments until moving to Harvard House in 2004, and then to Rest Haven in 2006.

Helen was an energetic and fun-loving woman, who took an active role as a farm wife, mother, and grandmother for many years. She was an excellent cook, enjoyed playing cards, and loved children, animals, and traveling.

Besides her parents and husband of 55 years, she was preceded in death by her two brothers, Adolph of Hartington and Leon of Lexington, a sister, Edna Klein of Sutton, and her son-in-law, James Creason of Saginaw, TX. Her survivors include four daughters, Marlene Weitzel, PhD, RN of Austin, TX; Sharon Creason of Saginaw, TX, Juliann and husband Jim Keasling of Harvard; Nancy and husband Craig DeBoer of Wichita, KS; and one son, James Weitzel and wife Geraldine, of Kearney. Additionally, she leaves four granddaughters and their families, Carmen Blake of St. Johns, KS; Kim Creason of Lake Worth, TX; Nicole Ostrom of Lexington; Carrie Gutierrez of Lincoln; and seven grandsons and their families, Scott Weitzel of Brighton, CO; Bryan Creason of Chandler, AZ; Michael Creason of Saginaw, TX; Christopher Keasling of Petaluma, CA; Timothy Keasling of Pittsburg, CA; and Jeffrey and Justin DeBoer of Lincoln. Other survivors include 22 great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren, in addition to many nieces and nephews, and several cousins.

The family wishes to thank those persons who have so kindly and skillfully cared for her over the past few years: staffs of Harvard Rest Haven, Harvard House, and Mary Lanning Hospice, Dr. David Little, Dr. Pradipta Chaudhuri, and Dr. Charles Nowacek.