Funeral services for Helen C. Paulson, age 94, of Lemmon ,SD will be at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, August 31, 2009 at the New Hope Worship Center Lemmon. Rev. Dan Lindeman will officiate with burial to follow at Greenhill Cemetery in Lemmon.


Serving as casketbearers are Jim Lorenz, Duane, Levi, Leon and Kenny Gene Paulson and Rich Schneider.


Helen Caroline (Samuelson) Paulson was born on August 28, 1914, in Bison, South Dakota. She was the second youngest of nine children born to Samuel and Anna (Berg) Samuelson.


She received her elementary education in rural Perkins County. Her high school education began in California at Napa Union High School but she was called home because of her father's illness and arrived two weeks before his death. She remembered that winter as treacherous with deep snow and roads so frozen that horses had difficulty pulling wagons; however, Helen remained in Lemmon and attended Lemmon High School graduating with the class of 1933.
Helen and Paul Paulson attended the same church in Perkins County. Paul had first gained her attention by throwing water at her and then later by giving her a gift of a watermelon. They began dating when Helen was a senior in high school.


Helen and Paul were united in marriage on June 2, 1936, in Buffalo, SD in a double wedding ceremony, sharing their day with Violet and Charles Gilbertson. During the Depression, the couple traveled to the West Coast and picked and canned fruit. Helen and Paul returned to Perkins County where they farmed until 1947. They then moved to North Lemmon but kept the farmland that Paul continued to farm.


Although Helen did not work outside of the home, she always stressed the importance of religion and of education. She did not have the opportunity to obtain a much desired college degree so she devoted her time reading Bible stories to the children after gathering them all together, and she was proud of their educational accomplishments.


Helen served as Paul's substitute North Lemmon bus driver filling in for Paul when he was farming and/or making LP gas deliveries or spot welding. When he was diagnosed with cancer, Helen was devoted to caring for him driving him to treatment, staying in hospitals, and being his companion in his five year struggle. Paul passed away June 13, 1974.


In the late 1990's and early 2000's, Helen stayed in Wisconsin with daughter LaDonna helping with her daughter's home day care. Helen enjoyed greeting the children as they arrived and entertained them throughout the day.


Helen returned to Lemmon in 2005 where she lived until her death. She devoted her last years to helping her neighbors and friends and spending time with them, attending church, and reading the Bible. She felt she was too young to use a walker and could get around just fine with her cane. In July when daughter Lorraine asked her to check with her doctor about a walker, she just frowned and ended the discussion


Helen passed away on Sunday, August 23, 2009 at her home in Lemmon.


Helen is survived by four daughters and two sons-in-law: Lorraine and Mitchell Clay, Detroit, Mi; Judy Aguilera, Oxnard, CA; Betty Anderson, Eau Claire, WI; LaDonna and Robert Mindt, Port Washington, WI; two sons and one daughter-in-law: Samuel Paulson, Box Elder, SD, and John and Yvonne Paulson, Rapid City, SD; 21 grandchildren, Renee (Martin) Bemish, Robert Martin, Julia Michelle (Clay) Keen, Mitchell Paul Clay, Santos Castaneda, Maria (Castaneda) Flores, Marcella Castaneda, Jackie (Aguilera) Ramirez, Paul Aguilera, Lee Anderson, Lynn Anderson, Diane (Anderson) Jones, Rob Mindt, Sheeri (Mindt) Inman, Alwin Paulson, Patra Paulson, Rich Schneider, Mike Magnuson, Paul Paulson, Shaun Paulson, and Stephanie Paulson, 26 great grandchildren; one great-great granddaughter, and many nieces and nephews.




She was preceded in death by her parents, Samuel Samuelson and Anna Samuelson Ridout; her husband Paul; one son Larry; two daughters, Alice Martin and Evelyn Irene (an infant); two sons-in-law, Albert Anderson, Joseph Aguilera; six sisters, Sylvia (Isabelle), Pauline, Julia, Chrystal, Evelyn, Amy; two brothers, Carl(Everett) and Clayton.


Visitation will be on Monday morning, August 31 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon and one hour prior to the services at the church on Monday afternoon.