Mass of Christian Burial for 99-year-old Helen Konz Mathwig of St. James, Minnesota, will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, January 7, 2017, at St.James Catholic Church in St. James, with Father Timothy Hall as celebrant. The church is located 623 4th Street South.
Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in rural St. James, located east of the city on Watonwan County Road #27.
Helen Konz Mathwig died on Saturday, December 31, 2016, at the Garden Care Center in Cannon Falls, Minnesota.
Visitation will be at the church on Saturday beginning at 9:30 a.m.
Online condolences to the family may be sent to: www.sturmfh.com.
Arrangements are with Sturm Funeral Home-St. James Chapel.
Helen Heppner was born on the family farm north of Butterfield, Minnesota, on April 11, 1917, to Peter and Helena (Fast) Heppner. She was the fifth of seven children in the family, and grew up on the farm with four brothers and two sisters. She attended country school north of Butterfield.
On September 5, 1934, Helen married Felix Konz at the St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Comfrey, Minnesota. They lived in Darfur, Minnesota where Helen was a homemaker. In 1943, they moved to St. James, where they raised their six children, Janice, Allen, Gloria, Deloris, Brian and Diane. In 1967, their daughter, Gloria, was in need of a kidney transplant and Helen donated one of hers.
Helen and Felix were married 40 years when Felix died from lung cancer in July 1974. During their 40 years together, Helen and Felix worked hard, but enjoyed doing things like old-time dancing and playing cards with friends. Helen worked as a sales clerk for JC Penney’s in St. James for 25 years.
In January 1978, Helen married Marty Mathwig and moved to his farm in Dunnell, Minnesota. They spent their summers working hard on the farm, and wintering in Arizona. Marty died in January 1999 and one year later, Helen sold their home in Arizona and permanently returned to Minnesota. In the fall 2000, she moved from Dunnell to St. James.
Helen loved to cook and was very good at it. She liked trying new recipes, especially desserts. One of her favorite pastimes was playing Bridge. Helen was very much a caregiver; always ready to help out when needed.
She is survived by her children, Janice Meidl of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Allen (Connie) Konz of St. James, Deloris Gorman of Prior Lake, Minnesota, Brian (Ann Blide) Konz of Cannon Falls and Diane (Dennis) Russell of Lincoln, Nebraska; 10 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two husbands, Felix Konz and Martin Mathwig; daughter, Gloria Olson, grandson, Scott Meidl; son-in-law, Lyle Meidl; her parents; four brothers and two sisters.