Kenneth Helgeson

Kenneth Bernard Helgeson was born on January 12, 1918, in Taunton to Helge and Julia (Bakken Helgeson. He was baptized and confirmed at Hope Lutheran Church in Minneota. Ken stayed at home and farmed until he married Berniece Nielsen on September 17, 1955. The couple moved to a farm four miles north and one and one half miles west of Minneota where they have lived and farmed ever since. Ken and Berniece had three daughters; Julie Marie, Twyla Maren and Sonya Kay. They also had one son who died at birth. Kenny always loved sports and horses. He played baseball for Porter and Minneota. He helped to organize a softball league and played on a team for Hope Lutheran Church. Kenny also helped to organize the Silver Spur Saddle Club and was a member for many years. He served on the Hope Lutheran Church Council, was a Director of the M-G-T Oil Co., served as a Director of the Countryside Golf Club where he loved to golf, and served on the Yellow Medicine River Watershed Board for approximately 20 years. He loved spending time with his family, going to his grandchildren’s activities and family reunions. He also enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping. Kenny always loved a good card game at the Round-Up. He was a collector of various bells, especially old sleigh bells. Kenny died on Saturday, April 12, 2008, at the Sandford Hospital, Canby Campus. He is survived by his wife, Berniece of Taunton, daughters Julie (Arlen) Koepp, Twyla (David) Korthals and Sonya Brewers. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Megan, Robby and Scott Koepp, Danielle and Aaron Korthals and Jeffrey, Samantha and Mikkel Brewers, sister Julia Ann Janzen and brother Gordon Helgeson, many nieces, nephews, special cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Harvey, Marvin and Stanley, sisters Mildred, Laura, Clarice, Vivian, Elva and Bernice, grandson Timothy Koepp and infant son.