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C. Helen Janssen, 92, Panora
Obituaries · August 04, 2016



C. Helen Janssen, 92, daughter of Benjamin and Claudia (Teale) Morrill, was born Oct. 17, 1923, in Port Arthur, Texas.

She passed away Thursday, July 21, 2016, at the Guthrie County Hospital.

She graduated from high school in Pittsburgh, Pa. On Oct. 18, 1942, she was united in marriage to Earl F. Janssen in Maryville, Mo. They traveled for several years due to Earl’s military service.

Following his honorable discharge, they moved to Lu Verne, Iowa, and finally settled in Panora, where she has called home for 54 years. Helen’s passion in life was being a farm wife and mother. She was also employed in various businesses, including Lake Panorama Association and Annear Insurance Company, before retiring from Squires-Moylan in the mid 1990’s. Helen enjoyed cooking and baking; visitors were served a full table of delicious foods. She also loved painting, reading, bowling, playing cards and her favorite board game, Scrabble. Most of all, she loved spending time with family. She was a member of St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Panora, where she was active for many years in church groups. She was also President of the American Legion Women’s auxiliary.

She is survived by her daughters, Claudia Meyer of Apple Valley, Minn., Sandra Ocker of Mesa, Ariz., Lois (Robert) Pote of Daphne, Ala., Juanita (Fred) Ott of Twin Falls, Idaho, Carmen (Rod) Atkinson of Panora, Iowa, and May (Craig) Smith of Fremont, Neb.; sons William (Sherry) Janssen of The Villages, Fla., and Donald Janssen of Guthrie Center, Iowa; daughter-in-law Stephanie Janssen (Mer) Schocker; 23 grandchildren; 43 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren; brother Gilbert Morrill of Boulder, Colo.; and sister-in-law Frieda Griffin of Des Moines, Iowa.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Earl, daughter Valerie Simpson, son Bruce Janssen, two sisters and a brother.

Funeral services were Monday, July 25, 2016, at St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Panora. Burial was in the West Cemetery in Panora. Visitation was Sunday, July 24, 2016, at Twigg Funeral Home in Panora. Memorials may be directed to the Guthrie County Hospital.