Helen Janzen

Helen Albertina Henze, the daughter of Ferdinand and Lena (Grunst) Henze was born on January 20, 1915 in Kimball Township, Jackson County, MN. She was baptized as an infant, and on June 16, 1929, Helen was confirmed in her Lutheran faith at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Darfur where she remained a life long member. Helen received her education at a country school near her family's rural Darfur, MN home. On October 3, 1937, Helen was united in marriage to Walter Lester Janzen at St.John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. The made their home and raised their family on the Janzen family farm. In 1983, they moved in to Darfur, and in 2004, they moved to Mankato, MN. Helen was a member of St. John's Lutheran Ladies Aid. She enjoyed wintering in Arizona for 25 years, playing shuffleboard, embroidry, dancing and baking. Helen Janzen died on Sunday, December 11, 2005, at Immanuel St. Joseph's Hospital in Mankato, MN. Helen is survived by her husband, Walter Janzen of Mankato, MN; two daughters, Arlene and her husband Gerald Hodapp and Sylvia and her husband Scott Norman, all of Mankato, MN; five sons, Lawrence and his wife Karen Janzen of Butterfield, MN, James and his wife Peggy Janzen of Delano, MN, Eldon and his wife JoAnn of Butterfield, MN, Daniel and his wife Janice Janzen of Champlin, MN, and Carl and his wife Shari Janzen of Delano, MN; 25 grandchildren; 26 great grandchildren; two sisters, Mary Johnson ofMountain Lake, MN, and Clara Junker of St. James, MN; many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter, Elaine Thorkelson; a great granddaughter; a great grandson, John Michael Welgraven; a sister, Augusta Johnson; and four brothers, Edward, Conrad, Carl and Ferdinand Henze.