Helen Lerene Tripp (90) of Belle Fourche, SD left her earthly home to be with her heavenly family on March 12,2012.
She was born on February 20, 1922 in Redmond, Utah to Semon and Fuchsia Jensen. She was one of eight children. She attended school in Redmond and graduated from Sevier High School.
Helen worked in a drugstore as a soda dispenser until she enlisted in the US Army - the WAC division in June of 1944. She was a clerk typist and in charge of the mail for the military at Fort Bennington, Georgia. It was during this time that she met and fell in love with her soulmate William Tripp of Huntsville, Alabama. He was in the army also. They married in Columbus, Georgia and when they were both honorably discharged from the Army, they moved to Belle Fourche, SD. There they set up their home of 62 years and raised their 3 children, Ellis, Sr, Sandra, and Terry Lee.
Helen worked for Northwestern Bell for 25 years as a building janitor for 7 small towns. She cleaned the large buildings and the telephone booths in Belle Fourche and then in her little telephone pickup, she would travel to the other 6 towns to clean their small buildings and telephone booths. She retired from this job in 1986. It was because of this job that she learned to drive a car.
Helen was very active in her church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Belle Fourche. She was the local branch's second member. She held many positions, but her favorite one was Relief Society President followed closely by the position of visiting teacher. She enjoyed reading the scriptures and studying the gospel.
After her retirement, Helen began to do sewing and needlepoint. She made hundreds of beautifully embroidered tea towels, pillow cases, and table skirts. When her eyes began to fail and she could not do the fine work anymore, she took up puzzle books and reading books. She was an avid reader. When you could not find her, all you had to do was look behind a book and there she was.
When her health began to fail and her youngest son, Terry passed away, Helen moved to Gordon, NE to live with her daughter, Sandra and her family. She lived in Gordon for 2 years and then bad health and missing her family led to the decision to move to Spearfish, SD to be closer to her son,Ellis and lots of her grandchildren. She lived at the Sandstone Manor Assisted Living Center for almost 2 years. She spent the last 2 weeks of her life in the Belle Fourche Health Care Center where she passed away peacefully in her sleep.
She was preceded in death by her parents and 6 siblings. Also preceding her was her beloved husband of 41 years, William Tripp; her youngest son , Terry Tripp; a son-in-law, Michael Starr; a granddaughter, Courtney Starr all of Belle Fourche;. a grandson , Montgomery Green of Glenrock, WY also preceded her.
Helen loved spending time with her large family. She had 19 grandchildren, 49 great- grandchildren and 6 great-great-grandchildren. She loved telling others about all of them. She always said "If it takes a small village to raise a child, it would take a large metropolis to raise my children"! Survivors include her oldest son , Ellis and Mary Lou Tripp of Belle Fourche, SD; her daughter, Sandra and William Redman of Gordon, NE.and her sister, May Wilson of Spearfish, SD.
Funeral Services were held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Belle Fourche, Friday, March 16, 2012 at 12:30 p.m. with burial following at Black Hills National Cemetary, Sturgis, SD. Her grandsons will carry her on her last earthly journey.
A memorial has been established in Helen's name.
Bio/Pic Courtesy of Deborah.Ridgway
She was born on February 20, 1922 in Redmond, Utah to Semon and Fuchsia Jensen. She was one of eight children. She attended school in Redmond and graduated from Sevier High School.
Helen worked in a drugstore as a soda dispenser until she enlisted in the US Army - the WAC division in June of 1944. She was a clerk typist and in charge of the mail for the military at Fort Bennington, Georgia. It was during this time that she met and fell in love with her soulmate William Tripp of Huntsville, Alabama. He was in the army also. They married in Columbus, Georgia and when they were both honorably discharged from the Army, they moved to Belle Fourche, SD. There they set up their home of 62 years and raised their 3 children, Ellis, Sr, Sandra, and Terry Lee.
Helen worked for Northwestern Bell for 25 years as a building janitor for 7 small towns. She cleaned the large buildings and the telephone booths in Belle Fourche and then in her little telephone pickup, she would travel to the other 6 towns to clean their small buildings and telephone booths. She retired from this job in 1986. It was because of this job that she learned to drive a car.
Helen was very active in her church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Belle Fourche. She was the local branch's second member. She held many positions, but her favorite one was Relief Society President followed closely by the position of visiting teacher. She enjoyed reading the scriptures and studying the gospel.
After her retirement, Helen began to do sewing and needlepoint. She made hundreds of beautifully embroidered tea towels, pillow cases, and table skirts. When her eyes began to fail and she could not do the fine work anymore, she took up puzzle books and reading books. She was an avid reader. When you could not find her, all you had to do was look behind a book and there she was.
When her health began to fail and her youngest son, Terry passed away, Helen moved to Gordon, NE to live with her daughter, Sandra and her family. She lived in Gordon for 2 years and then bad health and missing her family led to the decision to move to Spearfish, SD to be closer to her son,Ellis and lots of her grandchildren. She lived at the Sandstone Manor Assisted Living Center for almost 2 years. She spent the last 2 weeks of her life in the Belle Fourche Health Care Center where she passed away peacefully in her sleep.
She was preceded in death by her parents and 6 siblings. Also preceding her was her beloved husband of 41 years, William Tripp; her youngest son , Terry Tripp; a son-in-law, Michael Starr; a granddaughter, Courtney Starr all of Belle Fourche;. a grandson , Montgomery Green of Glenrock, WY also preceded her.
Helen loved spending time with her large family. She had 19 grandchildren, 49 great- grandchildren and 6 great-great-grandchildren. She loved telling others about all of them. She always said "If it takes a small village to raise a child, it would take a large metropolis to raise my children"! Survivors include her oldest son , Ellis and Mary Lou Tripp of Belle Fourche, SD; her daughter, Sandra and William Redman of Gordon, NE.and her sister, May Wilson of Spearfish, SD.
Funeral Services were held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Belle Fourche, Friday, March 16, 2012 at 12:30 p.m. with burial following at Black Hills National Cemetary, Sturgis, SD. Her grandsons will carry her on her last earthly journey.
A memorial has been established in Helen's name.
Bio/Pic Courtesy of Deborah.Ridgway
Helen Lerene Tripp (90) of Belle Fourche, SD left her earthly home to be with her heavenly family on March 12,2012.
She was born on February 20, 1922 in Redmond, Utah to Semon and Fuchsia Jensen. She was one of eight children. She attended school in Redmond and graduated from Sevier High School.
Helen worked in a drugstore as a soda dispenser until she enlisted in the US Army - the WAC division in June of 1944. She was a clerk typist and in charge of the mail for the military at Fort Bennington, Georgia. It was during this time that she met and fell in love with her soulmate William Tripp of Huntsville, Alabama. He was in the army also. They married in Columbus, Georgia and when they were both honorably discharged from the Army, they moved to Belle Fourche, SD. There they set up their home of 62 years and raised their 3 children, Ellis, Sr, Sandra, and Terry Lee.
Helen worked for Northwestern Bell for 25 years as a building janitor for 7 small towns. She cleaned the large buildings and the telephone booths in Belle Fourche and then in her little telephone pickup, she would travel to the other 6 towns to clean their small buildings and telephone booths. She retired from this job in 1986. It was because of this job that she learned to drive a car.
Helen was very active in her church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Belle Fourche. She was the local branch's second member. She held many positions, but her favorite one was Relief Society President followed closely by the position of visiting teacher. She enjoyed reading the scriptures and studying the gospel.
After her retirement, Helen began to do sewing and needlepoint. She made hundreds of beautifully embroidered tea towels, pillow cases, and table skirts. When her eyes began to fail and she could not do the fine work anymore, she took up puzzle books and reading books. She was an avid reader. When you could not find her, all you had to do was look behind a book and there she was.
When her health began to fail and her youngest son, Terry passed away, Helen moved to Gordon, NE to live with her daughter, Sandra and her family. She lived in Gordon for 2 years and then bad health and missing her family led to the decision to move to Spearfish, SD to be closer to her son,Ellis and lots of her grandchildren. She lived at the Sandstone Manor Assisted Living Center for almost 2 years. She spent the last 2 weeks of her life in the Belle Fourche Health Care Center where she passed away peacefully in her sleep.
She was preceded in death by her parents and 6 siblings. Also preceding her was her beloved husband of 41 years, William Tripp; her youngest son , Terry Tripp; a son-in-law, Michael Starr; a granddaughter, Courtney Starr all of Belle Fourche;. a grandson , Montgomery Green of Glenrock, WY also preceded her.
Helen loved spending time with her large family. She had 19 grandchildren, 49 great- grandchildren and 6 great-great-grandchildren. She loved telling others about all of them. She always said "If it takes a small village to raise a child, it would take a large metropolis to raise my children"! Survivors include her oldest son , Ellis and Mary Lou Tripp of Belle Fourche, SD; her daughter, Sandra and William Redman of Gordon, NE.and her sister, May Wilson of Spearfish, SD.
Funeral Services were held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Belle Fourche, Friday, March 16, 2012 at 12:30 p.m. with burial following at Black Hills National Cemetary, Sturgis, SD. Her grandsons will carry her on her last earthly journey.
A memorial has been established in Helen's name.
Bio/Pic Courtesy of Deborah.Ridgway
She was born on February 20, 1922 in Redmond, Utah to Semon and Fuchsia Jensen. She was one of eight children. She attended school in Redmond and graduated from Sevier High School.
Helen worked in a drugstore as a soda dispenser until she enlisted in the US Army - the WAC division in June of 1944. She was a clerk typist and in charge of the mail for the military at Fort Bennington, Georgia. It was during this time that she met and fell in love with her soulmate William Tripp of Huntsville, Alabama. He was in the army also. They married in Columbus, Georgia and when they were both honorably discharged from the Army, they moved to Belle Fourche, SD. There they set up their home of 62 years and raised their 3 children, Ellis, Sr, Sandra, and Terry Lee.
Helen worked for Northwestern Bell for 25 years as a building janitor for 7 small towns. She cleaned the large buildings and the telephone booths in Belle Fourche and then in her little telephone pickup, she would travel to the other 6 towns to clean their small buildings and telephone booths. She retired from this job in 1986. It was because of this job that she learned to drive a car.
Helen was very active in her church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Belle Fourche. She was the local branch's second member. She held many positions, but her favorite one was Relief Society President followed closely by the position of visiting teacher. She enjoyed reading the scriptures and studying the gospel.
After her retirement, Helen began to do sewing and needlepoint. She made hundreds of beautifully embroidered tea towels, pillow cases, and table skirts. When her eyes began to fail and she could not do the fine work anymore, she took up puzzle books and reading books. She was an avid reader. When you could not find her, all you had to do was look behind a book and there she was.
When her health began to fail and her youngest son, Terry passed away, Helen moved to Gordon, NE to live with her daughter, Sandra and her family. She lived in Gordon for 2 years and then bad health and missing her family led to the decision to move to Spearfish, SD to be closer to her son,Ellis and lots of her grandchildren. She lived at the Sandstone Manor Assisted Living Center for almost 2 years. She spent the last 2 weeks of her life in the Belle Fourche Health Care Center where she passed away peacefully in her sleep.
She was preceded in death by her parents and 6 siblings. Also preceding her was her beloved husband of 41 years, William Tripp; her youngest son , Terry Tripp; a son-in-law, Michael Starr; a granddaughter, Courtney Starr all of Belle Fourche;. a grandson , Montgomery Green of Glenrock, WY also preceded her.
Helen loved spending time with her large family. She had 19 grandchildren, 49 great- grandchildren and 6 great-great-grandchildren. She loved telling others about all of them. She always said "If it takes a small village to raise a child, it would take a large metropolis to raise my children"! Survivors include her oldest son , Ellis and Mary Lou Tripp of Belle Fourche, SD; her daughter, Sandra and William Redman of Gordon, NE.and her sister, May Wilson of Spearfish, SD.
Funeral Services were held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Belle Fourche, Friday, March 16, 2012 at 12:30 p.m. with burial following at Black Hills National Cemetary, Sturgis, SD. Her grandsons will carry her on her last earthly journey.
A memorial has been established in Helen's name.
Bio/Pic Courtesy of Deborah.Ridgway
Inscription
TEC 4
WAC
WORLD WAR II
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
