Helen Helgren

Helen Efinger Helgren, of Gurnee, IL was born at home in Waukegan, IL on September 25, 1924 and was born to Eternal Life on January 8, 2011 . Helen lived in the Waukegan area all her life including the Great Lakes Naval Base, North Chicago, and Gurnee. She attended Immaculate Conception and Holy Family Grade Schools, Lake Forest High School and graduated from Holy Child High School at age 17. She was the eldest of four daughters born to Raymond "Doc" and Kathleen (O'Brien) Efinger. She had a dream to become a chemist. She arranged an appointment to meet Dr. Ernest Volwiler at Abbott Laboratories, in hopes of getting a job. He advised her that she needed to be at least 18 to get a job there, so she decided to get a college degree. Her parents thought that girls didn't need to go to college, but she convinced them to let her go for just one year to The College of St. Theresa in Winona, MN. Over nine years, when not attending school, Helen worked to save money for college in the Disbursing Office at Great Lakes, and in the analytical laboratory at Fansteel Metallurgical. She succeeded in putting herself through college and completed a B.S. in Chemistry at Marquette University in 1950. After graduation, she did indeed get a job at Abbott, where she met the love of her life, Preston Helgren. She and Pres were married April 11, 1953, and celebrated over 57 years of marriage. As much as Helen relished being a chemist, her best purpose was being a mom. Hers was the yard where the neighbor kids flocked. An excellent seamstress, there was no outfit or costume she couldn't create and would go to great lengths to find novel materials or fabrics to complete her works of art. Along the way, she completed her course work for a teaching certificate, and was a long-time substitute teacher at Gurnee Grade School, Viking Junior High and Warren Township High School, where she was unofficially known as Gurnee's favorite substitute teacher. Helen painted watercolors; she was a textile artist, spinning wool, using natural dyes and knitting things of great beauty and functionality. She was a Master Gardener, and was keen on growing novel foodstuffs before they became mainstream. Eventually she started her own business making flower arrangements and other designs with things she grew from seed and dried, along with making legendary Christmas wreaths. Helen was a faithful member of St. Dismas Church in Waukegan, and attended Mass daily as long as she was able to drive. She was a member of the League of Women Voters, and worked without tiring to bring a new library to Waukegan, and to preserve the ravine known as Warbler Glen in Bowen Park. Helen was a member of the Immaculate Conception (Waukegan) Altar and Rosary Society. She was on the Lake County Governmental Study Commission, which helped modernize the county's government structure. She and Pres were long-time faithful volunteers at the Lake County Museum, and were instrumental in its collection being transferred intact from private ownership to the people of Lake County. Helen and two other volunteers established the museum's gift shop and its Abiding Arts programs. She was a member of the Waukegan Garden Club (Douglas Chapter), Ex Libris Book Club, The Herb Society and was a volunteer for the American Cancer Society. She was a member of the 4H Youth Council and a leader for conservation projects in Lake County for many years. Helen had a long time interest in prairies, natural areas and their conservation, including doing research on prairie seed germination methods for the Lake County Forest Preserve District, and was a life member of the Illinois Dunesland Preservation Society. Helen is survived by her husband Preston, of Gurnee, son Dan (Lizzy) Helgren and step-grandchildren Zachary, Noah and Madeline Rose, all of Gurnee, daughter Mary Catherine Helgren (Richard Radek) of Green Oaks, numerous nieces and nephews and a host of grand-nieces and grand-nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond J. and Kathleen (nee O'Brien) Efinger, all three of her younger sisters, Catherine Dietmeyer, Rita Hyland and Mary June Fizgerald, as well as her sister-in-law Mary Helgren Johnson and treasured niece Susan Johnson. Visitation will be Friday, January 14, 2010 from 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm at WARREN FUNERAL HOME, 1475 N. Cemetery Road, Gurnee. Funeral services will be on Saturday, January 15, 2010 at 10:00 am with visitation one hour prior to services at St. Dismas Church, 2600 Sunset Avenue, Waukegan, IL. A private family entombment will be at Warren Cemetery, Chapel of Peace Mausoleum, Gurnee. Memorials may be made to St. Dismas Church, 2600 Sunset Avenue, Waukegan, IL 60087-3699 or Midwest Palliative & Hospice Care Center Attention: Philanthropy Department, 2050 Claire Court,
Glenview, IL 60025 (http://www.midwestpalliativeandhospicecarecenter.org/)
The family is grateful for the loving care given to Helen by Dr. John Freeland, along with the staffs of Sunrise Assisted in Gurnee, and the Midwest Palliative & Hospice Care Center.