Helen Coequyt Nuese

Helen Coequyt Nuese was born July 9, 1912, in Eidsvold township, Lyon County, to Achille and Rose (Traen) Coequyt. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Edward Catholic Church in Minneota. During her school years in Taunton, Helen had fond memories of her dad bringing her to school in a horse-drawn sleigh on very cold or snowy days. Helen graduated from Taunton High School and completed a University of California Berkeley correspondence course in secretarial studies. After graduation and during the Great Depression, she was employed in Marshall. She and Louis J. Nuese were married October 20, 1936 in Holy Redeemer Church in Marshall where she continued her membership and volunteer work. The house they built in which she lived in until 2002 was located on the site of the first Catholic church in Marshall. Helen was one of the founders and officers of the Holy Redeemer School Mothers’ Club, and she assisted in school fundraisers. She also initiated sidewalks being constructed on Jean Street leading to Holy Redeemer School. Because she enjoyed youth, Helen was a Girl Scout troop and camp leader for several years, even climbing one of Camden’s most challenging hills – Tarzan. She helped promote a square dancing club in Marshall where she and her husband participated in dancing. She was also instrumental in initiating a Personal Emergency Response System in Marshall. Helen was a MASC, Inc. member of the Lyon County Senior Citizens’ Center. As a homemaker who enjoyed entertaining friends, Helen was known for her new recipes and for gardening, where her flowers brought her ribbons at the Lyon County Fair. Her latest gardening endeavor was potted strawberry plants which were moved into her Hill Street apartment to lengthen their growiNg season. Helen loved to travel. She and Louis took many trips together and also with their daughters and families. Helen was always ready for new adventures, being the first one awake And the last to bed on vacations. She also loved learning about new things – whether it was how e-mail worked, how to operate radio-controlled cars, or how to play a new game. Helen’s other interest included biking, walking, and attending her grandchildren’s athletic and school events. Helen died on Saturday, December 13, 2008, at the Morningside Heights Care Center in Marshall. Survivors include two daughters, Carole (and Dr. C. Paul) Martin of Marshall anD Colleen (and Andrew) Nuese-Marine of Excelsior. She leaves five grandchildren: Thomas (and Andrea) Martin of London, England; Jennifer Martin of Minneapolis; Amy (and Bill) Fielder of Omaha, Nebraska; Caitlin and Alex Marine of Excelsior, and great grandchildren Katherine, Sarah, and Alexander Martin of London, England. She was preceded in death by Louis, her husband of 51 years, her parents, sister Madelyn Van Dorpe, and four brothers, Henry, Ferdinand, Cyril and Leo Coequyt. Memorials are preferred to Holy Redeemer School Foundation or Avera Morningside Heights Care Center.