Helen Robertson

Helen Robertson was a woman who enjoyed life to the fullest. Whether she was dancing, bowling, or riding on the back of a motorcycle, her zest for life was plain to see. Her cheerful smile, on-the-point advice, and witty sense of humor were just a few of her many wonderful qualities. Although Helen will be greatly missed, her friends and family members will be able to find solace in the reflection that her eighty years on this earth were spent doing things she loved, and, more importantly, doing them with the people she loved.

Helen was born on January 21, 1932, in Allegan, Michigan. Her proud parents were Darl and Cecil (Fuller) Brown. Helen was the third youngest in a family of nine children. Darl supported his family by working as a milkman, while Cecil stayed at home to manage the household and raise the children. Helen attended the local school in Allegan, and helped out at home after school let out in the afternoon. There was always something that needed doing! Helen often canned and helped out with household chores, while her brothers worked on nearby farms. When she got a little older, Helen also worked at a dime store.

In 1950, Helen graduated from Allegan High School. After graduation,she got married and started a family. For several years, she was a stay at home mom. Later, she got her first job was at Span Brass. She worked at Kivells IGA and then at Harding’s, as a cashier. To Helen, however, her most important job was raising her four children: Doug, Connie, Barb and Kevin. Helen was a wonderful mother - kind, loving and dedicated. She also knew how to speak her mind, however, and her children always knew it when their behavior failed to meet her expectations! Helen was known for giving great advice, and even as her children grew older they often looked to her for guidance.

In 1973, Helen was set up on a blind date with a man named Tom Robertson by mutual friends. Tom and Helen hit it off immediately, and were married less than a year later. The ceremony was held at the Plainwell United Methodist Church, on January 18, 1974. It was a second marriage for both of them, and Helen and Tom each brought four children to the relationship – their kids sometimes felt as if they were in the Brady Bunch! Just in case eight children wasn’t enough excitement, Helen also invariably had a dog or two. The most recent family pet was a shih-tzu named Jodee Sue.

Helen and Tom loved to spend their free time traveling. They had an RV and a motorcycle, with which they covered much of the United States and Canada. Their favorite traveling partners were Helen’s sister, Ruth, and Ruth’s husband, Tom. In addition to the RV, Helen and Tom also flew a Cessna 172, which Tom and his brother-in-law, Tom co-owned. When they were at home, Helen loved nothing more than to spend time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Sassy and fun-loving, Helen Robertson was a wonderful wife and mother, grandmother and friend. She will be deeply missed by her many friends and family members.

Helen died on February 6, 2012, at Bronson Hospital, at the age of 80. Helen’s family includes her husband of 38 years, Tom; her children, Connie (Rick) Brewer, Barb (Dave) Culver, and Kevin (Cheryl) Lanz; her step-children, Tom (Patty) Robertson, Daniel (Dorothy) Robertson, Randy Robertson, and Beth Hoffman; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her son, Doug Lanz, who passed away on August 7, 2002.

Visit with her family and friends, view her life story film, and share light refreshments at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, at the Life Story Funeral Home, Plainwell, 120 Woodhams St. (685-5881). A funeral will follow at 12:00 p.m., at the same location.

Please visit Helen’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can read her life story, archive a memory or photo, and sign her memory book online before coming to the funeral home. Memorial donations can be made to a charity of your choice.