The funeral service for Helen M. (Svoboda) Burnett, of Albert Lea, will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday at St. Theodore Catholic Church, Albert Lea. The Rev. Timothy T. Reker and Deacon Mike Ellis will officiate. Interment will be in St. Theodore Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour before services at the church. Bonnerup Funeral Service is assisting the family with arrangements.

Helen was born on Sept. 17, 1923, at the University of Minnesota Hospital in Minneapolis. She was united in marriage to Melvin Burnett on Aug. 19, 1941, in Lexington.

They lived in Madison Lake and Elysian, before settling in Albert Lea in 1950.

In addition to raising her family, she had worked at Munsingwear and Johnson Laundry.

She was a member of St. Theodore Catholic Church since 1950, where she had been active in the Ladies Guild and also the Quilting Guild.

With much tender loving care, Helen grew beautiful African violets. She will be remembered for the delicious kolaches she made at holiday time.

Helen died on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012, at Thorne Crest Retirement Community in Albert Lea, at the age of 89.

Helen is survived by her husband of 71 years, Melvin; her children: Beverly Kentner Clausen of Minneapolis and Arizona, Ronald (Karen) Burnett of Eden Prairie, Julie Brua Markley of Bloomington, Brad (Kris) Burnett of Albert Lea; 15 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; sisters: Stella Judd of Faribault, and Marie (Emmett) Mulligan of St. Paul, and nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her mother Kathryn Heilman, her step-father Oscar Heilman, sons: David and Kenneth Burnett, daughter-in-law Diane Burnett, sons-in-law Dean Kentner and Richard Clausen and brother-in-law Leo Judd.

Helen was a very loving wife, mother and grandmother. A loving note from her grandson called her an angel who would always be loved in heaven, as she was on earth.

Blessed be her memory!