Memorial services for Verna Leona (Petersen) Helland, age 86, of Albert Lea will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Alden. The Rev. Greg Ofsdahl will officiate. Interment will be at 9:30 a.m. at Graceland Cemetery, Albert Lea. Friends may greet the family one hour prior to the service at the church. To sign the guest book, goto www.bayviewfuneral.com
Verna died Monday, June 22, 2009, at Good Samaritan Center.
Verna Leona (Petersen) Helland was born on May 26, 1923 to Mike and Clara (Larsen) Petersen in Brayton, Iowa. The family moved to the Emmons area and was a graduate of Albert Lea High School. Verna married Myron Seedorf on Aug. 9, 1942, at First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. Myron died in October of 1960. Verna was employed at Sander’s Drug and managed the candy store in Albert Lea. On June 1, 1963, she was united in marriage to Omer Helland at First Lutheran Church. Verna worked as the bookkeeper for the Alden plumbing store and was also a homemaker. Verna was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church, the Eastern Star, Tuesday Club in Alden and the DAV Auxillary. Verna was also a fabulous seamstress.
Survivors include her husband, Omer; her children are Kathleen Kay (Bobby) Lie of Hudson, Mass., Sharrie La June (James) Huston of Zumbrota, Eugene Omer (Carol) Helland of Ellendale, and Joan Marie (Brian) Hazle of LaGrange, Ky. Her grandchildren are: Rachel (Paul) Jackson of Southborough, Mass., Gregory (Dawn) Lie of San Diego, Andrew (Amber) Huston of Indianapolis, Christopher Huston of Minneapolis, Melissa (Bob) Darg of Garner, Iowa, Stephanie (Chris) Wilding of Pee Wee Valley, Ky., and Lucas (Amy) Hazle of Louisville, Ky. Also surviving are five great-grandsons; four great-granddaughters; sister, Frances M. Roberts of Albert Lea; sisters-in-law, Ramona Petersen of Alexandria and Donna May (Harry) Johnson of Albert Lea; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Verna was preceded in death by her parents; one son in infancy; first husband, Myron Seedorf; grandson, Ryan Omer Helland; brothers, Robert E. Petersen, Roscoe Petersen and Everette Petersen; brothers-in-law, LeRoy Roberts and Phalen (Henrietta Schmidt) Seedorf.