Helen R. (Ward) Manee, 90, of Remer, Minn., died Friday, Sept. 7, 2007, at the Homestead Rehabilitation and Living Center in Deer River, Minn.
She was born Oct. 4, 1916, in Paton, Iowa, to Lester and Gayle Ward. She attended grade school at Paton until her family moved to Bingham Lake, Minn., in 1929. She graduated from Bingham Lake High School in 1934. She married Delburt Manee Dec. 16, 1933, in Spirit Lake, Iowa. They farmed in Windom, Minn., for seven years and then moved to Granite Falls in March 1941, where they continued to farm until 1958. In January 1967, the couple semi-retired to Island Lake near Remer. She worked for 10 years as lead cook at Camp Trelipe Girl Scout Camp.
She was a member of Mason Congregational Church in Remer and was an active participant of its Woman's Group. She was a devoted wife of 64 years, and a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother.
She is survived by four daughters, Faye (Carl) Ohliger of Zimmerman, Minn., Shirley (Dwayne) Johnson of Beardsley, Minn., and Judy (Steve) Goddard and Joyce (Bud) Kalkes, both of Heber, Ariz.; three sons, Jimmie of Jacobson, Minn., Billy (Lois) of Ola, Idaho, and Lon (Lynette) of Granite Falls; two sisters, Faye Tanhoff of Montevideo, Minn., and Doris Miller of RIch Hill, MO.; one brother, Ray E. Ward of Van Buren, Ark.; two sisters-in-law, Vinnie (Paul) Houde and Joyce (Howard) Lyle, both of Windom, Minn.; 29 grandchildren; 51 great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; three brothers, Dale, Warren, and Keith Ward; one daughter-in-law, Coleen Manee; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Mason Memorial Congregational Church in Remer, and also Thursday from 1 p.m. until the time of the funeral at 2 p.m. The Rev. Sheila Hunter will officiate. Burial will be at Fairview Cemetery, Remer.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to Itasca Hospice Partners and the Homestead Rehabilitation or the Homestead Rehabilitation and Living Center in Deer River, Minn.
Rowe Funeral Home in Grand Rapids, Minn., handled arrangements.