Obit: Gowey, Helen M. (1924 - 2009)

Contact: R. Lipprandt
Email: bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Doberstein, Fischer, Gebert, Gowey, Haavisto, Krzykacz, Nicks, Nowak, Parma, Sandel, Schaeffer, Simpson, Stefancin, Underwood, Young, Willger

----Source: The Star News (Medford, Taylor Co., WI), Thursday, January 22, 2009, Online Edition

Gowey, Helen M. (Nowak) (June 10, 1924 - January 19, 2009)

Helen M. Gowey, 84, Town of Hammel, died Monday, Jan. 19 at St. Joseph's Hospital Palliative Care Unit in Marshfield, where she had been a patient for half a day.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, Jan. 22 at 11:30 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Medford, with Father Gerard Willger and Deacon Joseph Stefancin officiating. Interment will be at Holy Rosary Catholic Cemetery in Medford. Active pallbearers will be her grandsons, Brian Doberstein, Mark Haavisto, Lee Gowey, Josh Parma, Dave Young and Brian Nicks. Honorary pallbearers will be Gerard Fischer and Ron Gebert.

The former Helen Nowak was born June 10, 1924 in the Town of Holway to the late Ignatz and Theresa (Krzykacz) Nowak. She attended Forest Grove School in the Town of Holway.

On July 1, 1942 in the Town of Holway, she married Theodore "Teddy" R. Gowey, who preceded her in death on October 17, 1987. They farmed in the Town of Holway. She was a cook at Holway District No. 1 for eight years, worked for the Taylor County Memorial Hospital as a cook for about 25 years, and was a caregiver and a cook at Our House in Medford for six years.

She was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Boxrucker-Berry American Legion Auxiliary Unit No. 519 of Stetsonville, and past member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Stetsonville. She enjoyed quilting, yard work, gardening and making lap robes for veterans.

Survivors include two daughters, Carol (Larry) Underwood of Medford and Linda (Gerald) Haavisto of Marshfield; a son, Larry (Joanne) of Marshfield; three sisters, Victoria Simpson of Abbotsford, Claire Sandel of Thorp and Sylvia Schaeffer of Palatine, Ill.; a sister-in-law, Josephine Nowak of Holcombe; 10 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a son, Robert in 1977; three grandchildren; and a brother, Matthew.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to her family to be designated at a later date.

Online condolences may be made at www.hemerfuneralservice.com.

Hemer Funeral Service of Medford assisted the family with arrangements.