Mary “Helen” Johannsen, 94, formerly of Wells and Freeborn

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, July 9, 2003

Mary “Helen” Johannsen, age 94, formerly of Wells and Freeborn, died Monday, July 7, 2003, at the Good Samaritan Center in Albert Lea.

Funeral services will be 1:30 p.m. Thursday, July 10, at the Good Samaritan Center Chapel in Albert Lea. The Rev. Kent Otterman will officiate. Visitation, at her request, will be one hour prior to services at the Good Samaritan Center Chapel on Thursday. Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home in Wells is in charge of arrangements. Interment will be in the Freeborn Cemetery in Freeborn.

She was born Nov. 22, 1908, in Arcadia Township, Carroll County, Iowa, to Ruby A. (Ingram) and Mathew R. Barr. The family moved to a farm five miles east of Wells in the spring of 1912 where Helen resided until she married. She attended elementary school at Country School #134 and high school in Alden.

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She married Fritz H. Johannsen on May 22, 1937, at the Methodist Episcopal Church parsonage in Wells. They farmed in Freeborn County for 37 years. The years from 1952 on were spent on the farm where Helen was raised. After retiring, a number of years were spent on the farm, and then they moved to Freeborn, and in 1997 to Bancroft Bay Estates near Albert Lea.

Helen was a member of Freeborn Congregational United Church of Christ in Freeborn. She was active in Women’s Fellowship and Circle at the church. She enjoyed being a homemaker, her flower gardens, pet cats and especially enjoyed time with her family, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Other

happy memories involved camping and traveling with friends and family.

She is survived by two daughters: Jean and her husband Jack Thisius of Albert Lea, and Gail and her husband Vic Savick of Freeborn; four grandchildren: Karin Buus Shelton, Chuck and his wife Marilyn Buus, Dennis Savick and special friend Jennifer, and Dan and wife Jean Savick; five great-grandchildren: William Savick, Cole Savick, Corbin Wait, Chas Buus and Lane Buus; one sister-in-law, Christine “Tena” (husband Bob) Korinke of Couderay, Wis.; and nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband in 1999; and one grandson, David Buus.