Funeral Services were held Wednesday, August 9, 2006 at the Rippey United Methodist Church with words of comfort by Pastor Deb Parkison. Casket Bearers were her grandchildren and Honorary Casket Bearers were her great-grandchildren. Interment was at the Rippey Cemetery with Hastings Funeral Homes of Jefferson and Perry in charge of arrangements.
Helen Lena Bates was born August 23, 1925 in Oakland, Iowa. She was the daughter of Henry Irvin Bates and Emily (Emma) Elizabeth Stevenson Bates. Helen grew up in Hancock, Iowa. She started kindergarten when she was four years old because she used to cry when her other siblings left for school, so her mother decided to let her go. They then moved to Montgomery County, where she was too young and couldn’t go to school. When she finally went, she came down with Whooping Cough and missed 6 weeks of school, causing her to repeat the grade.
Helen was a member of the Rippey United Methodist Church, OES (Eastern Star), Rebekahs, KYNB (Know Your Neighbor Better), Jefferson Does, OK Chapter of PEO in Perry, Jefferson TOPS Club, numerous Bridge Clubs, WSCS (Women’s Society of Christian Service) and H.S.N.U. Sunday School Class.
In 1977 she started working part-time at Fashion III in Perry, Iowa. She was a Pink Lady at Greene County Medical Centro in Jefferson . She started working part-time as an outside travel agent for Fun Travel in Jefferson in 1980. She enjoyed spending the winters in Texas from 1989 through 1997. She loved planning and being involved in numerous activities and traveling around the world.
She is preceded in death by her parents Henry and Emma Bates, her husband Darwin Thompson in 1976 and her second husband Jack Haupert in 1996; also her sister Geneva McConnell in 1971 and her brother Donald Bates in 2000.
Survivors are her son Dale and wife DeeAnn of Rippey, her daughter Carol and husband Allan of Rippey, her son Dennis and his wife Sheila of St. Louis, Missouri and her daughter Colleen and husband Roger Norgren of Rippey. Step-daughters are Pam Peterson of St. Louis, Missouri and Nicole Raaz and husband John of Galena, Illinois. Her grandchildren: Jon Sieck and wife Julie of West Des Moines, Josh Sieck of St. Louis, Missouri, Julianna Cullen and her husband Andy of Adel, Heather Dennhardt and husband Mike of Rippey, Hayley Thompson of West Des Moines, Hubbel Thompson of Ankeny, Grace and Amelia Thompson of St. Louis, Missouri, Nathaniel Norgren and wife Stephanie of Kansas City, Missouri, Kaisha Norgren of Kansas City, Missouri, Kara Norgren of Cedar Falls, and Zachary Norgren of Rippey. Great-Grandchildren: Cole, Mackenzie, Clint, and Brent Dennhardt, Jayell Fields, Henry, Calvin and Theodore Sieck, Katie Helen and Macie Carol Cullen, sister Betty Hill of Red Oak; sister-in-law Elsie Bates of Griswold; many other relatives and friends.