Helen L. Townsend

GARNER - Helen Townsend, 84, of Garner died Sunday (September 27, 2009) at Hancock County Memorial Hospital in Britt.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m., Friday at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Garner with Rev. Fr. Brian Dellaert as celebrant. Burial will be in St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery in Garner.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 P.M., Thursday at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel in Garner with a VFW Auxiliary service at 6:00 p.m. and a Scriptural Wake service at 6:30 p.m.

Helen Lorraine Townsend, the daughter of Lewis F. and Clara (Jakoubek) Formanek was born December 15, 1924 on a farm in Garfield Township in Hancock County. In 1942 she graduated from Hayfield High School where she had been active in band, school plays, year book production and 4-H, where she served as an officer. After graduating Helen worked at Northwestern Bell Telephone Company for six years. On September 18, 1950, she was married to Robert Paul Townsend at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Duncan. In 1952, they began working for Tony and Martha Rasmussen on their farm north of Garner; later moving into Garner in 1986. Helen had worked at the Garner Ben Franklin store, at Roe's Super Value and as a cook at Russ' Drive In for 17 years. Due to ill health, she had resided at Concord Care Center since December 12, 2006.She enjoyed her family, family dinners, baking, and was noted for her "Secret Recipe" for potato salad.

She was a member of St. Boniface Catholic Church, Rosary Society and had taught CCD classes, sang in the choir and served on the Parish Council. She was also a member and past president of the VFW Auxiliary, W.S. Homemakers, the North Garner Community Club and the "Red Hats."

Helen is survived by her son, Thomas P. Townsend of Garner and his three children, Matthew Townsend, Raechelle Gruis and her husband, Brandon, and Christopher Townsend; her son, Joseph M. Townsend and his wife, Karen, of Garner and their two sons, Seth Townsend and Jaron Townsend; a great granddaughter, Alexandra; two brothers, Lewis Formanek and his wife, Mary Ann, of Phoenix, AZ and Allan Formanek and his wife, Patty, of Clear Lake; many relatives and friends, including special friends, Bob and Mary Waite of Goodell.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert "Bob" Townsend, January 14, 1990; her parents; two sisters, Mina Rensink and Mercedes Nowak; a sister-in-law, Barbara Formanek and two brothers-in-law, Roy Rensink and Ray Nowak.