Helen I. Paul, age 95, of Mabel, Minn., died Monday, November 19, 2018, at the Chosen Valley Care Center in Chatfield.
Helen was born October 25, 1923, in Grinnell, Iowa, to Sylvester and Amme (Cramer) Smith. She graduated from the Grinnell High School. On September 18, 1944, she married Keith Paul in National City, Calif., while Keith was in the Marine Corps preparing to be deployed to the South Pacific. She worked at the glove factory in Grinnell and after Keith’s discharge from the Marine Corps, the couple farmed in the Grinnell area until moving to the Mabel, Minn., area in 1972. They farmed there until 1990 when they moved to Spring Grove. Keith passed away September 24, 2005. Helen later moved to the Meadows of Mabel assisted living. She was a member of the St. Olaf Catholic Church in Mabel and enjoyed playing cards, church activities, and shopping.
Helen is survived by seven children: Dennis (Lynn) of Modesto, Calif., Susan Meyer of Keystone, Iowa, Daryl of Tehachapi, Calif., Doug (Bo) of Phoenix, Ariz., Joan of Minneapolis, Minn., Mary Paul of Holman, Wis., and John Paul of N.C.; eight grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, and a brother, Larry Smith of California. She was preceded in death by her husband Keith and five brothers and sisters.
Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, November 28, 2018, at the St. Olaf Catholic Church in Mabel, with Father Stephen Abaukaka officiating. Burial will be in the Calvary Cemetery in Canton, Minn. Visitation will be 4-6 p.m. Tuesday, November 27 at the Mengis Funeral Home in Mabel and one hour prior to services at the church.