Helena Santillan 'Sanny' Andrews was born October 26, 1918, to Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Santillan in Audubon, Iowa. She was raised and educated in Audubon and graduated from Audubon High School in 1937. She entered St. Anthony's School of Nursing in Carroll, Iowa, and graduated in 1940 with Associate Registered Nurse degree. She was employed in St. Anthony's Hospital for 18 years, 10 of those years as Assistant Supervisor in Pediatrics where she loved taking care of children and received recognition for special care.
She married Robert Andrews of Carroll, Iowa, on July 19, 1948, and resided there until 1954 when they moved to Spencer, Iowa. In the fall of 1954, she joined the nursing staff at Spencer Hospital, and in the fall of 1964, assumed the duties of Head Nurse in the ER Out-Patient department for five years after which she retired.
'Sanny' was a longtime member of the American Red Cross and gave First Aid at the Clay County Fair for three years. She was active in the American and Iowa Nurses Association for 30 years, and active in District XV Nurse's Association, and served 10 years on the Benefit Scholarship Tea Committee.
'Sanny' was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, belonging to the Altar Society and the Catholic Daughters of America. She enjoyed sports, dancing, belonging to the LaDanza Dance Club for many years, and loved people. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Robert; brother, Staff Sgt. Paul Santillan in WW II; sister and husband, Mary and Otto Peck of Houston, TX; and sister-in-law, Dorothy Andrews Schomacher of Spencer, IA.
Left to cherish her memories are one brother-in-law and wife, Wayne and Bernice Andrews of Storm Lake, IA; 5 nieces and their husbands: Barbara and Jerry Rathke of Homer Glen, IA, Jane and Gus Erickson of Bellevue, NE, Mary and Mick Polich of Dallas, TX, Patricia and Joe Zielinski of Prescott, AZ, and Amy and Dan Hurley of Denver, CO; foster friends, Dr. Charles L. Railsback of Bloomington, IN, and William Railsback of Canyon Lake, TX; and other relatives and many friends.
SERVICES
Funeral services will take place 10:30 A.M., Monday, September 15, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Spencer.
OFFICIATING
Father William Schreiber
CASKET BEARERS
Dr. Jerry Rathke
Mick Tolich
Gus Erickson
Sid Fitch
Kirby Froehlich
Kyle Fueston
HONORARY PALLBEARERS:
Dr. Charles Railsbach
Dr. Ty Fiedler
Ed Murphy
VISITATION
Visitation will take place Sunday, September 14, at Warner Funeral Home in Spencer, starting at 5:00 P.M., with family present from 5-7:00 P.M.
Vigil and Rosary Services will take place 4:00 P.M., Sunday, September 14, at Warner Funeral Home in Spencer.
MUSIC
INTERMENT
Riverside Cemetery
Spencer, Iowa