Funeral services for Helen Baumberger Hanson, age 91 of Lemmon, formerly of Morristown and McIntosh, will be 10:30am Wednesday, April 4, at Christ Lutheran Church in Morristown. Pastor Gerhardt Juergens will officiate with burial in the McIntosh Cemetery.


Special music will be provided by Sarah Juergens, organist.


Serving as casketbearers are Randy and Wayne Sander, Larry, Kent, and Jeff Baumberger, Kevin and Shane Frazier. All grandchildren are considered honorary bearers.


A memorial has been established to a charity of the donor's choice.


A family service will be held at 7:00pm on Tuesday evening at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon.


HELEN NELSEN was born in Mission Hill, Yankton County, SD on June 13, 1915 to Norman and Marith (Carlson) Nelsen. She received her education at a rural school near Mission Hill and graduated from Yankton High School. She was confirmed in 1929 at Vangen Lutheran Church in Mission Hill.


In November of 1934, she married William F. Baumberger in Sioux Falls, SD. They moved to Presho, SD for a short time and later moved to McIntosh, SD in the mid 1930's. Helen has lived in Corson County since that time. Helen and Bill raised their family of six children and with them farmed, raised cattle and did trucking for many local ranchers.


She was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in McIntosh and more recently of Christ Lutheran Church in Morristown. She taught Sunday school for many years, was organist for 35 years in McIntosh and a member of the ladies aid both in McIntosh and Morristown. She was active in the Community Club and the McIntosh Extension Club since 1948. At one time, she held each of the offices in the Corson County club and chairman several times at the county level. Helen also worked at the bank in McIntosh for several years.


Her husband William died in 1975 and Helen continued to live in their home in McIntosh. In December of 1985, she married Russell Hanson of Morristown and moved there where they resided for 5 years. Helen and Russell then moved to Lemmon. Russell passed away in 2002 and Helen continued to live in her home. In Lemmon, she was an active volunteer of the hospital auxiliary and the Lemmon Senior Citizens and volunteered many hours at the Thrift Shop and sewed many quilts to sell.


Helen's hobbies included gardening, knitting, crocheting afghans and in the early years sewed for her family of six. She has made quilts for all of her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Her pride was her family and their many activities and accomplishments.


Helen passed from this life on Saturday, March 31, at the West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger at the age of 91 years, 9 months, 18 days.


Surviving family members include her six children, Coleen and husband Lyle Sander, Bowman, ND; Allen Baumberger and wife Polly, Florence, MT; Don Baumberger and wife Reo, Boise, ID; Rodney Baumberger and wife Sharon, Sturgis, SD; Janet and huband Dan Marquardt, Black Hawk, SD; Mark Baumberger and wife Sandy, Morristown, SD; 2 stepchildren, Janice Tomhave, Watertown, WI; Ron Hanson, Rapid City, SD; 25 grandchildren, 52 great grandchildren, 4 great great grandchildren; 1 sister, Alta Thomas, Loveland, CO; and 1 brother, Don Nelsen, La Mesa, CA.


She was preceded in death by her husbands, Bill Baumberger on May 27, 1975 and Russell Hanson on February 16, 2002, 3 brothers, Curtis, Everett, and Norman Nelsen; 3 sisters, Selma Handy, Berna Bjorium, Virginia Miller, and a grandson, Shelby Baumberger.