Helen Ficek

Born: November 05, 1945

Died: June 20, 2013

Services: 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 25, 2013 at St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Beaver Dam

Visitation: Monday, June 24, 2013 from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Koepsell Funeral Home, N7199 N. Crystal Lake Rd., Beaver Dam with a Rosary service beginning at 6:30 p.m., and also on Tuesday, June 25, 2013 from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. at the church

Helen Ficek, 67, of Beaver Dam and formerly of New England and Dickinson, ND went home to be with her Lord, surrounded by her family, on Thursday, June 20, 2013.

Helen was born the daughter of Frank W. and Rose W. (Heck) Frank in New England, ND on November 5, 1945. She was a graduate of St. Mary’s High School in New England, ND. Helen was married to Donald J. Ficek on June 26, 1967 in Dickinson, ND. She was employed with Richelieu Foods, Inc. in Beaver Dam, WI for 28 years. Helen was an active member of St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Beaver Dam, WI for many years.

Helen, my beautiful wife, our beautiful mother…

Her most joyous years were spent raising and loving her four children and spending time with and loving her four grandchildren. She was always at their athletic and musical events, sewing her children’s and grandchildren’s clothing when they were young and making sure they had what they needed to succeed in school and life.

Helen had a passion for flowers, perennial flowers, to be exact, and her beautiful dahlia flower pots. She had a variety of flowers and they had to be planted in the right order and color. She was always conscious of nature’s beauty. Her other passion was her garden. She spent countless hours in her garden tending to various vegetables, herbs, raspberry plants, fruit trees. You name it, she could grow it. The fruits of her labor (pun intended) were always served at her table. And then there is her love of cookbooks (current count is 350+) and cooking in general, trying old-fashioned German recipes. Helen enjoyed reading cookbooks like most people enjoy reading a good novel.She also looked forward to traveling and marveled how it was possible for her, a poor farm girl from North Dakota, to have those experiences.

With her time on earth shortened, we have to trust Jesus that He has other plans for her.

‘Are you still with Me even though I am taking her.’ (Message of faith)

Helen is survived by her husband, Donald of Beaver Dam; her children: Terri (Joe) Hammer of Columbus, WI, Dean Ficek of New York, NY, Danielle Ficek of Oshkosh, WI and Christopher Ficek of Mercer, WI; her siblings: John (Sandi) Frank of Elk River, MN and Berni (Roger) Privratsky of Fargo, ND; four grandchildren: Jacob Hammer of Fitchburg, WI, Emily Hammer, Maddie Hammer and Elijah Hammer, all of Columbus, WI; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank W. and Rose W. Frank of New England, ND, her brother, Anthony Frank of Brighton, CO, and her uncle Tony Heck of Belfield, ND, who entered the gates of heaven the same day as Helen.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 25, 2013 at St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Beaver Dam with the Rev. Fr. Michael Erwin officiating. A visitation will be held on Monday, June 24, 2013 from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Koepsell Funeral Home, N7199 N. Crystal Lake Rd., Beaver Dam with a Rosary service beginning at 6:30 p.m., and also on Tuesday, June 25, 2013 from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. at the church. Interment will take place at St. Peter’s Catholic Cemetery in Beaver Dam.

Helen’s family would like to extend a special thank you and are forever grateful to the volunteers and staff at Hillside Hospice and to Laurel W. Rice, MD and her staff at UW Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI for all their care and support.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Hillside Hospice, Beaver Dam, WI.

Location: Koepsell-Murray Funeral Home- Beaver Dam (Map)

Church: St. Katharine Drexel Parish-Spring St. (Map)