Helen Shelden

Helen Shelden

Helen Shelden

Marion

Helen Shelden of Marion, Iowa, went to be with her Lord on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022, at the age of 87 surrounded by her loving family. Visitation will take place from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Marion, Iowa. Funeral service will follow at the funeral home. Inurnment will take place at a later date at Rose Hill Cemetery in Mt. Ayr, Iowa.

Surviving her are two daughters, Andrea (John) Schindler of Marion and Caprice (Walter) Rich of Amana; three grandchildren, Meghan (Jerry) Yurchisin of Vienna, Va., Bailey (Jon) Steffen of Dunkerton, Iowa, and Dalton Schindler (Emily Johnson) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; her beloved great-grandchildren, Belle, Scarlett and Landon Steffen, and Simon Yurchisin; stepgreat-grandchildren, Lucus Pitcher, McKinzie, Hayden and Jaxon Randall (and their mother, Lisa Nodarse); and many friends.

Helen Blanche Combs Shelden was born in Mt. Ayr, Iowa, on July 2, 1935, the daughter of Lorene Wimer Combs and Arnold Raymond Combs. Helen grew up in Mt. Ayr, graduating Mt. Ayr, High School. Two weeks after graduation she was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart Ellis Ray Shelden on June 14, 1953. Ray left for Great Lakes Naval Base and then to Paris Island, S.C. Upon his return they moved to Iowa City where he enrolled in the University of Iowa school of Pharmacy, and she became an operating room technician until his graduation. Andrea was born and they moved to Marion where they we lifelong residents. A second daughter, Caprice, was born in 1961. Helen enrolled in Mount Mercy College in the School of Social Services graduating in 1979. After graduation she was Social Work Consultant at Willow Gardens, Winslow House, and Crestview Acres. She got her Nursing Home Administrators license and became the administrator of Mechanicsville Care Center for 15 years. After this time, she returned to social work and was consultant at Monticello Care Center, Solon Care Center, and Linn Manor Care Center. Helen retired in 2014 due to ill health but cherished her career of 40 years helping those elderly whom she loved and enjoyed. In her past time Helen enjoyed her grandchildren above all, and would knit, golf, horseback ride, read, and play bridge with her many friends. Helen was an avid follower of the Iowa Hawkeyes. When the girls stopped by for a visit, they would always find peanut butter cookies ready, as well as during the holidays, peanut butter fudge and peanut butter balls. Helen volunteered for the Mended Hearts organization due to her own mended heart with two heart valves and was able to lessen anxiety and reassure those she visited at Mercy Hospital and UnityPoint Hospital who were waiting for surgery or who were in recovery. She volunteered at the Marion food pantry. Helen was past matron of Marion Order of Eastern Star, past president of Chapter CS PEO, and a member of Sorosis Club of Marion. Helen loved her puppy, Sam, and enjoyed spoiling him. Her pride and joy was her family.

Helen was preceded in death by her loving husband, Ray; parents, Arnold and Lorene Combs; brother, John Combs; and sister, Marilyn Ann Giles.

Memorials in Helen’s memory may be directed to the Cedar Valley Humane Society.

Please share a memory of Helen at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.

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