Helen Louise Damstrom

Our loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, Helen Louise (Overeen) Damstrom, passed peacefully away at her home with son, Dave, by her side on Thursday January 26, 2017. Born in her maternal grandmother's farmhouse in Decatur County, Illinois on Thanksgiving Day November 25th 1915. Helen was the first of seven children of the farming family of John J. and Grace (Stafford) Overeen. At age four Helen's family moved to Iowa living on farms near Nemaha and Early then Greenville where Helen had a busy school and social life graduating in the class of 1933. Helen attended Buena Vista College at Storm Lake, Iowa, and Iowa State Teachers College at Cedar Falls, Iowa receiving a teaching certificate. She lived in Spencer teaching in the nearby country schools Sioux NO. 7 and the new Royal schoolhouse in the late 1930's and early 1940's during which time she began dating Herb Damstrom from Emmetsburg, Iowa. In the spring of 1942 Helen rode the train to Norfolk, Virginia where Herb was stationed with the US Coastguard. They were married on May 28th in Conway, North Carolina. Back in Spencer Helen gave birth to two sons, Herb Jr 1944 and David 1946. When Herb mustered out of the Navy the family moved to Ft Des Moines, Iowa for a few years before moving to Des Moines' Southside in 1951 where Helen and Herb resided until moving to Spencer in 1990. Helen began teaching for Des Moines Public Schools in the early 1950's giving birth to daughter Janis In 1957. She later taught kindergarten for Norwalk/Lakewood Public Schools until retiring in 1982. During this time she received her B.S.Ed. from Drake University in 1973. She substitute taught and tutored for a few years in Spencer in the early 1990's. Helen loved teaching, and was active in the various churches the she attended. She liked playing the piano, and did a lot of sewing making clothes for her family. Helen had a great appreciation for nature and enjoyed the outdoors from city and state parks to trips to the Rocky Mountains. Helen was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and siblings, Gene, Drexel, Romola (Grethen), Bill, and John. She leaves behind a sister Barbara (Dotson); children Herb Jr (Maria), Dave, Janis (Mark) Heifner; seven grandchildren, Angelique, Dave II (Tami), Chris (Christina), Debi (Terry) Kofron; Brian (Alison) Heifner, Jason Heifner, Mike (Nicole) Heifner; great grandchildren, Caylee Kofron, Sam Kofron, Will Kofron, CJ Damstrom, Clare Bennett. Helen's family extends heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Kindred Hospice in particular nurses Kim, Stacie, and Max, and CNA Molly; also our thanks to H Schar for his support during these last few months. And a very special thanks to cousin Becky (Overeen) Prentice whose friendship Helen treasured since moving to Spencer, and for her generous and loving support.

SERVICES

OFFICIATING

CASKET BEARERS

VISITATION

MUSIC

INTERMENT