Helen Toohey

Helen Theresa Toohey was born on February 20, 1907, at Maple River, Iowa, to Peter and Theresa Bergman Thelen. When she was 6, she moved with her family to Milford, Iowa. She received her early education at the St. Joseph Catholic School in Milford and graduated from the Milford High School in 1924. After her schooling, Helen helped her father on the farm. Helen was married to Vernon R. Toohey in 1929. The couple lived near Milford and farmed for a short time. They moved to LuVerne in 1931, and operated the LuVerne Billiard Hall and then operated a restaurant for a few years. They moved to Bancroft, Iowa in 1941, and lived there for a short time. Vernon and Helen moved back to LuVerne, where they operated the Benedict Grocery. Helen's husband preceded her in death on November 29, 1960. Helen continued operating the grocery store until 1962. Helen was a well-known seamstress in LuVerne for many years. She made 17 dresses and many men's shirts for the LuVerne Centennial. Helen was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Livermore, Iowa, where she was also active in the Ladies' Guild. Helen enjoyed gardening and sewing, but her greatest love was her ...[more]

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ily. She was a very loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother. Helen became a resident of the Humboldt Care Center North in Humboldt, Iowa on November 22, 1993. She died there on Wednesday, June 23, 2004, at the age of 97. Helen is survived by her children, Beth Carroll, LuVerne, Iowa, Monte Toohey and wife, Evelyn, LuVerne, Iowa and Mary Berte and husband, George, Phoenix, Arizona. Also surviving are 19 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren, 1 great-great granddaughter and her sister, Irene McDonald, Milford, Iowa. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Vernon R., 8 brothers and sisters, 2 grandsons and her son-in-law, Tom Carroll.