Delores Mae Helling

DELORES MAE HELLING was born on November 15, 1930 to Harold and Eva (Bergeson) Bowles on the farm north of Pipestone, Minnesota. She was raised on the farm and attended Country School District 16 through the eighth grade. Delores then traveled into town to attend Pipestone High School, graduating with the Class of 1948. Growing up, Delores worked on the family farm. Following her education, she began working at First National Bank in Pipestone. While working at the bank, Delores met Donald Helling and on April 16, 1950, the two were united in marriage at the Pipestone Methodist Church. They then made their home in Pipestone and Delores then took a bookkeeping position at the newspaper. In 1953, the couple moved to Alexandria, Minnesota where their son, Erik was born in 1954. Then in 1957, they moved to Boone, Iowa where their daughter, Pamela was born in 1959. While living their, Delores held a bookkeeping job. In 1963, they moved their family of four to Loveland, Colorado. While there, Delores went to work in bookkeeping for the Rocky Mountain Directory until her retirement in 1977. One year later, she unretired and went to work at Rocky Mountain Credit Union until early 1995. She then went to work as a full-time grandma to her grandchildren. She loved and adored all of her grandchildren and had her own special “thing” with each of them. In 1999, she and Don moved to Balaton, Minnesota. Don preceded her in death on December 21, 2007. In 2009, Delores moved into her daughter’s home to live with and be cared for by her family in rural Ruthton, Minnesota. On Wednesday, April 24, 2019, she died peacefully at her home surrounded by her family at the age of 88 years, five months and 9 days.

Delores was a faithful and supportive member of the United Methodist Church in Balaton, Minnesota. She loved to crochet, garden, sit outside, watch the birds, enjoy picnics and go for rides. Delores will be remembered by her family as a caring, good hearted and beautiful person.

She is lovingly survived by her daughter, Pamela (David) Ray of rural Ruthton; grandchildren, Amy (Earl) Dezeeuw, Randy Ray, Danny Ray, Amanda Ray, Megan Ray, Dakota Ray, and April Ray; and great-grandchildren, Erik and Cody Dezeeuw. She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Helling; and her son, Erik Helling; and her parents.