Helen Boedigheimer

Helen Stanislaus Anna (Belka) Boedigheimer, age 87, of Perham, MN, died Thursday, July 2, 2009, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.


Helen was born November 29, 1921 , in rural Perham to Michael and Anna (Jaroszewski) Belka and attended Perham High School , graduating in 1938.  On November 27, 1940 , (just after the Armistice Day Storm) she married Carl “Carly” Boedigheimer at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Perham. Together they resided in rural Perham, moving briefly to Seattle , WA , and then to Cottonwood , MN , for 10 years before returning to the rural homestead farm in 1963. She resided there until October 1999 when she moved into Briarwood Assisted Living in Perham as her memory started to fail. In 2004 she moved into Thomas House II where she resided until her death.



Helen was a full time stay at home mother until the early 1970’s when she was hired at Diamond’s Department Store as manager for many years until they closed the doors. She worked several years at Midland Gas Station, retiring in the early 1980’s. Her greatest love was her family and looked forward to the visits, spending many hours preparing everyone’s favorite food in anticipation of the visit. There were many hours Helen spent playing rummy with the grandkids (in which she always managed to win), whist or bidding 500 with the adults where she would be known to “inkle” to her partner when she really didn’t have much for points in her hand but was sure she would be able to assist in racking up the points. Helen looked forward to the “overnights at Grandma’s” with the grandchildren. She would promptly put them to work tying the quilts she had sewn, playing cards, watching the reruns of the Golden Girls or sharing memories from her past. Their reward was always Schwan’s Ice Cream or one of the other many sweets she would have hidden in the cupboards as treats.



Helen also loved to putter in her flower beds, growing the most beautiful geraniums and moss roses each year. She would spend hours outside watching the birds, tending her flowers and enjoying the summer months. The last few years were difficult as her memory and health declined. Watching her slowly fade away from us was the most difficult. The family appreciates the love, attention and care that were provided to her at Thomas House over the last several years.

Helen is survived by her children Mike (Sue) Boedigheimer; Tom Boedigheimer; Greg Boedigheimer; Mary (Darrell) Melo; Larry (special friend, Linda) Boedigheimer; Diane (Jeff) Aschnewitz; and Carla (special friend Keith) Floberg; twenty grandchildren, Kevin, Brian, Scott, Dan, Bob, Greg and Brent Boedigheimer; Laurie Larsen;  Bud, Eddie, Andrew and Jessica Melo; Courtney Kawlewski; Amanda, Brad, Stacie and Carl Aschnewitz; and Jake, Gabriel and Katie Cronk; and thirteen great grandchildren.



Preceding Helen in death are her parents; husband, Carl; two sons, Marc and Steve; infant grandson, Marc; three sisters, Katie Adams, Cecelia Boedigheimer and Martha Lonski; and a brother, Frank Belka.