Helen C. (Iverson) Philipsen

Helen Philipsen, age 99 of Brooten, died Monday, May 20, 2019 at the Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Brooten with Pastor Steven Bovendam officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Inurnment will be in the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery. Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Brooten. 

Helen Catherine (Iverson) Philipsen was born June 17, 1919, to Ingval and Ida (Haugen) Iverson in Lake Johanna Township, Pope County, Minnesota. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. She attended country school and graduated as valedictorian from Brooten High School in 1937. She attended normal training in Glenwood and then taught country school for one year before she married.

On June 16, 1940, Helen was united in marriage to Herman Philipsen. They made their home on a farm near Brooten. Helen devoted her early married years to making a home for her family. She sewed clothes for her children and made draperies and curtains for their home. She gardened fruits and vegetables, made healthy homemade meals for her family and canned the excess. She enjoyed painting the inside and outside of her house. She liked to beautify her yard with flowers and other plants. After her children were grown, Helen enrolled in the St. Cloud State College and graduated with honors. She was a teacher at the Brooten Elementary School for 13 years. After she retired, Helen and Herman enjoyed traveling and spent many winters in New Mexico. 

Helen was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Brooten, where she taught Sunday school, vacation bible school, was active in Circle, the quilters and other church activities. She enjoyed reading, working puzzles, music, dancing, collecting antiques, needlework and feeding and watching yellow finches from her dining room window. She also enjoyed volunteering at the food shelf in Brooten. Helen loved to make quilts for her grandchildren and other relatives. She especially loved to spend time and visit with her family and friends. Helen will be remembered as having a strong sense of personal responsibility, a good sense of humor; she loved to make people laugh and had a deep unconditional love for her family.

She is survived by her children: Gary (Helen) Philipsen of Pueblo, CO; Nancy (George) Turner of Willmar, Warren (Muriel) Philipsen of Aurora, CO; and Joy (Darrell) Rooney of Belgrade; grandchildren: Steve (Shannon) and Geoffrey (Chrysta) Philipsen, Amy (Tom) Stocking, Stephanie and Paul Vegoe, Michelle (Jeff) Matukewicz, Nathan (Courtney), Justin (Melissa), Jacob (Andrea) and Brady (Heidi) Rooney; great-grandchildren: Alex and Isaac Philipsen, Reece Kopacek and McKenzie Stocking, Emily (Zach) Malecha, Max and Avalyn Matukewicz, Noah, Natalie, Ty, Josie and Paisley Rooney, Grayson, Malley and Maddux Rooney and Max, Anna and Violet Rooney; great-great grandchildren Aden and Emmet Malecha; sister, Lillian Madsen of Belgrade; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Herman in 1997; brothers: Milo, Leslie and Richard Iverson and sister, Ione Grundseth.

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