Helen Bennett

Helen Bennett was a woman of faith and a woman of love. She put her faith in God in her every action and taught her daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to do the same by example. Helen was a woman of love, faith and compassion, whom we celebrate with this story.

It was the year 1925 a time of economic prosperity and excitement around the country. For parents Lawrence Wolthuis and Blanche Vander Weele, this was the year of the birth of their fourth and youngest daughter. On the 23rd of May, Helen was born in Vicksburg, Michigan . Her father came from the Netherlands and instilled in his family a healthy work ethic and "old world values."

While she was growing up Helen worked in the field with her sisters, Elsie and Martha, helping weed the celery. She would get up early before school and go out into the fields led by the light of a lantern. When Helen was older and her daughters started school, she would work for her father's greenhouse each spring. From early on Helen's parents raised their daughters in a Christian household and this influence became apparent in the way she lived her life while she was still young.

Helen graduated from Vicksburg High School during the middle of WWII in 1944. One year after graduation, Helen married Robert Oswalt in 1945.He was a country neighbor boy with whom she went to school and fell in love. They worked on a farm and had two beautiful daughters together. Helen and her girls mourned the tragic loss of husband and father when Bob was killed in a plane crash in 1967.

For Helen mothering came very naturally. She put all her energy into the care and nurturing of her girls. Eating together was very important. The family would all get together for dinner and discuss the day. Helen was a great cook with specialties of lemon pie, turkey and stuffing, potato soup and salad all taking the top spot of favorites of her family. When the dreaded chore of washing the dishes came around, it was a time of laughs and bonding for the Oswalt girls. Mother and daughters would laugh, share stories and just enjoy talking with each other as they cleaned up from the evening meal. Helen was a mother, role model, and as they got older, a friend to her daughters. She used to say, "All I can do is teach right from wrong, but only you can choose how you behave," and they never forgot it.

In 1968, Helen remarried a wonderful man, named Harland Bennett who was previously married and widowed as well. They were married on June 8, 1968 at the Wakeshma Community Church . They were the last couple to be married in the old church building that provided a worship space for many throughout its years. Helen and Harland were both farmers and were well suited for each other. They loved to pitch horseshoes, fish, and travel in their motor home together. As they got older they would winter in Bradenton, FL together. Harland brought out a sense of humor in Helen and he loved her and she loved him.

Helen always kept a diary, keeping track of daily events and recording information about the farm. The diaries even settled disputes about when the fields were planted the previous year.

Even though pitching horseshoes was something she enjoyed doing with Harland for fun, she also competed in state and national horseshoe competitions. She was even state champ in her class one year. Helen also found pleasure in occupying her time around the house with gardening, sewing, doing needlework, and bird watching. But she also enjoyed watching golf, bowling, relaxing in the sun, and she was an avid follower of baseball. No matter what was going on, Helen was a proper lady who always dressed for the occasion.

From a very young age faith was an integral part of Helen's life. She was a member of the Wakeshma Community Church and loved participating in the fellowship there. She attended Sunday worship regularly and always had others in her prayers. Helen chose to exhibit her faith through her actions of her every day life. Helen was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in June, but there was not a single day of her life that she was not thankful for her time here on earth.

With the same thankfulness that Helen gave for all her days, we celebrate her life and remember that her love remains with us always. May she rest at home with her God.

Helen Bennett died on Thursday, February 23, 2006 at Rose Arbor Hospice in Kalamazoo with family surrounding her. She was preceded in death by her first husband Robert Oswalt, a grandson Derrick Parsons, and her sister Jeanette. Helen's family includes her husband Harland, daughters: Karen and her husband Ron Eaton of Vicksburg, Phyllis and her husband Gene Orton of Portage, Harland's children: Sandra and her husband Tom Johnson of Vicksburg and his son Larry and his wife Marilyn Bennett of Fulton . Other members of her family include her sisters Elsie and her husband Leonard Mejeur of Kalamazoo, Martha and her husband Fred Catherman of Vicksburg, 5 grandchildren: Brad Parsons, Rob Orton, Jason Eaton, Trevor Bennett and Traci Peck and 5 great grandchildren: Jarrett and Jaden Eaton, Connor and Mason Parsons and Alexis Bennett who was born the day following Helen's death.

Learn more about Helen and visit with her family and friends on Monday, February 27, 2006 from 2-4 and 6-8 pm at the Life Story Funeral Home, RDMG ,Vicksburg, 409 S Main . Funeral services will be held at 2 pm on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 at the Wakeshma Community Church . Please visit Helen's personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can archive a favorite memory, order flowers or make a memorial donation to the Wakeshma Community Church Building Fund or Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan.