Helen R. Bartel
Joe Denoyer - November 27, 2017 8:15 am
Helen R. Bartel, aged 92, born in rural Meade County, Kansas, on December 18, 1924, went home to be with her Lord Jesus Christ on Wednesday, November 8, 2017. She died at the Lone Tree Retirement Center in Meade.
She was the second of five children, the only daughter, born to Klaas H. and Helena (Doerksen) Reimer. She married Martin R. Bartel, also of rural Meade County, August 22, 1947, and from this union were born five children, three grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Helen loved and served her church, Emmanuel Mennonite Church, in many ways over the years since joining this church as part of its first baptismal class.
She loved everything about farm life – milking cows, plowing fields, butchering chickens, planting and maintaining gardens, canning fruits and vegetables, and making her own laundry soap. Then, as her children all started school, she began working at the Lone Tree Retirement Center. For many of those years, she worked nights, came home to fix six lunches, and slept until it was time for her family to return.
She completed her elementary education at McNulty School, in rural Meade County. Soon her own desire to grow led her to obtain her GED and she earned her certificate the same year as her youngest child graduated. From there she entered the first CNA class taught by Lone Tree and graduated to become a nurse’s aide. She also learned the “first responder” skills and later rose to other levels of nursing and restorative-aide skills. The saddest day of her career was the day she was forced to retire due to her own failing health.
Helen joined Martin as an active member of the Gideons, becoming a leader in the Auxiliary for many years. Together they attended numerous state and international conventions where they enjoyed meeting fellow Gideons from across the world.
She enjoyed baking, sewing, and embroidery, completing many quilts and comforters in her lifetime. She sewed most of the clothes for her family in their growing-up years.
Helen and Martin enjoyed traveling. They visited all but 2 states of the US, and visited Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, and Columbia as well. Some of these trips were working trips for MCC Relief, including canning fruit in California, and bringing aid to the victims of Hurricane Andrew in Florida.
Helen is survived by four children: Harry and wife Marilyn of Hugoton, Ruth of Hugoton, Richard of Ulysses, and Wilma of Hugoton; three grandchildren: Clint and wife Maggie of Oswego, New York, Erin and husband PJ of Lockport, Kentucky, and Elias of Lafayette, Louisiana; and three great-grandchildren: Olivia, Charlotte, and Cecil; three brothers: Ben D Reimer, George D Reimer, and John D Reimer, all of Meade; and many nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends. She is preceded in death by her husband, Martin; son, Don; and brother, Henry D Reimer.
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 28, 2017, at the Emmanuel Mennonite Church. Cremation has taken place and private family inurnment will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family would welcome memorials to either the Gideons or Emmanuel Mennonite Church in care of Fidler-Orme-Bachman Mortuary.
The family wishes to thank the staff of Lone Tree Retirement Center for their many years of caring for Mom. We pray God’s blessings for you, blessings which exceed where words fail.