Helen Irene Classen
Helen Irene Classen went to be with the Lord on March 6, 2010 at 92 years of age.  She was born August 23, 1917 in Minneola, KS to Abe and Agnus Peters.  On June 6, 1937 she married Frank H. Classen in Greensburg, KS.  Together they enjoyed 67 years of blissful marriage.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank, one son-in-law, one grand child, two great grand children, one brother and one sister.
Survivors include her children Ralph and wife Ann of Meade; daughters Frances Moore and Jim of Topeka, KS;  Lorene Jones of Little Rock, AR; Barbara Buschert and her husband Murray of Fulton, MO; Marcella Stoll and her husband Doug of Liberal, KS.  She enjoyed 10 grand children, 2 step grand children, 16 great grand children and 10 step grand children.
Nursing and community service were life ambitions of Helen.  After all her children were grown and married she returned to the classroom to complete the requirements for an LPN degree.  Her degree allowed her to work at several nursing homes, in a hospital and home care situations.
She was a very active member of Meade EMB church serving as a Sunday School teacher for many, many years.  She also served on the food committee, and chairman of the church Ladies’ Mission Society.
Community service for Helen included volunteering for Red Cross Blood Drives, serving at the Etc. Shop, and chairing the Cheerful Homemakers Unit.  She was an excellent cook and enjoyed baking angel food cakes which she managed somehow to get to each of her children on their birthdays while they were away at college.
For her grandchildren she enjoyed making their favorite and always requested cherry pancakes when they were visiting the “farm” in Meade, provided they would pick the cherries.
Gardening, canning, flowers and travel to visit her children and their families provided a rich, fulfilling aspect of her life.
Helen accepted the Lord at the age of 12 and lived her faith throughout her life.  She was a great blessing to her children and grand children, and others as she was faithful in daily praying for each person by name.  Now we feel we have lost a great prayer warrior.  We will greatly miss her.
She lived her last years at the Minneola Long Term Care Unit where she was greatly loved by all and received exceptional loving care.  This has been a great comfort and blessing to her family.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 10, 2010, at the Countryside Bible Church, rural Meade, with Reverend David Cummings presiding.  Friends may call from 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at Fidler-Orme-Bachman Mortuary, Meade, with the family present from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.  Interment will be in the EMB Church Cemetery, rural Meade.
The family would welcome memorials to the Minneola Long Term Care Center or the Roca Blanca Missions in care of the funeral home.