Funeral services for Helen M. Sawyer will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at First Lutheran Church in Ellendale. The Rev. Richard Sliper will officiate. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at First Lutheran Church in Ellendale as well as one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in First Lutheran Cemetery in rural Ellendale.

Helen M. Sawyer, 86, of Ellendale passed away Friday, April 3, 2015, at the New Richland Care Center. Helen was born on Dec. 2, 1928, in Kenyon, to her parents, Selma and Palmer Berg.

She left the Kenyon area at age 7 and moved to the community of Ellendale, where she attended school until graduation. She became a member of First Lutheran Church in Ellendale.

On Aug. 6, 1950, Helen married Warren J. Sawyer. They raised two children together and were married for 57 years until Warren’s passing.

Helen taught in several school districts, including Rochester, Geneva and Ellendale. She was actively involved in the PTA, church circle, couples club and card club. Helen enjoyed arts and crafts, painting ceramic, rosemaling and singing in the church choir.

She is survived by her son, Mark Sawyer of Ellendale; grandchildren Nicole Loken (Dallas) of New Richland and Eric Anderson (Lindsay) of Albert Lea; great grandchildren Dylan, Addison, Alexis and Austin; and son-in-law, Donald Anderson of Ellendale.

Helen is preceded in death by her husband, Warren; daughter, Julie Anderson; parents Selma and Palmer Berg; and brothers-in-law Chester Sawyer, Eugene Sawyer, and Floyd (DeLoyce) Sawyer.