Helen J. Oshel April 6, 1919 – December 12, 2011
Helen J. Oshel, daughter of William (Bill) and Gladys (Woosley) Sickels, was born April 6, 1919 near Kent, Iowa and passed away December 12, 2011 at Clearview Home in Clearfield, Iowa at the age of 92 years, eight months and six days.
Helen graduated from Lenox high school in May of 1937. Helen was married June 3, 1937 at Shenandoah, Iowa to Ralph Oshel. To this union were born three children, Mary Ann, Sherri Rae and Larry D. Helen was a housewife all of her married life. She lived on a farm northwest of Benton and then on a farm southwest of Diagonal. Helen was a member of the First Christian Church of Diagonal and then the United Church of Diagonal. She taught Sunday school and Bible school. She was a member of the Rebekah Lodge for 60 years. She was very active in the lodge until her later years.
She loved to quilt and do crafts. She was always making things for her family. Helen was a wonderful grandmother who was always taking care of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren either at her house or their home. She always had things for them to make and, of course, good food. She taught them everything from good manners to how to quilt and sew. She loved each and every one of them very much.
Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Oshel; parents, Bill and Gladys Sickels; sister, Evelyn Lynch; daughter, Mary Ann Mercer; parents-in-law, John and Elsie Oshel; sisters-in-law, Fern Miller and husband George, Linnabell Tridle and husband William and Dorothy Ingraham and husband Harry; brothers-in-law, Jack Abbott, Landis Butcher, Clyde Oshel, Vern Oshel and wife Margaret, Johnnie Oshel and wife Dee and Roy Oshel.
She is survived by her daughter, Sherri (Larry) Armstrong of Saint Petersburg, Florida; a son, Larry (Christa) Oshel of Diagonal, Iowa; son-in-law, Darrel Mercer of Blockton, Iowa; seven grandchildren, Robert (Louisa) Mercer of Diagonal, Iowa, Patricia (Mike) Rowe of Sheridan, Missouri, Diane (Ron) Stephenson of Eldon, Iowa, David Armstrong and Evone (John) Houton of Saint Petersburg, Florida and Tony (Kris Davis) Oshel and Susie Oshel of Diagonal, Iowa; 12 great-grandchildren; 11 great-great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Joyce Abbott of Creston, Iowa, Alice (Danny) Shannon of Boone, Iowa, Norma Butcher of Des Moines, Iowa and Irvel Oshel of Osceola, Iowa, and numerous relatives and friends.
A memorial fund has been established to the United Church of Diagonal.
Services were held at Watson-Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr on Thursday, December 15, 2011, with Rev. Mike Maddy officiating. Musicians were Judy Newton and Deb Larson.
Casket bearers included Robert Mercer, Sr., Tony Oshel, Mike Rowe, Jonathan Riley, Nick Joslin and Robert Mercer, Jr.
Honorary pallbearers were Esther Rose Mercer, Mary Jo Riley, Michelle Joslin, April Rowe and Terra Oshel.
Burial was in the Diagonal Cemetery in Diagonal.
