Helen M. Thornblade
d. October 31, 2007
Helen M. Thornblade, 94, a resident of the Iowa Masonic Health Facility of Bettendorf, Iowa and Manly, Iowa died on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 at the Health Center.
A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, November 10, 2007 at Asbury United Methodist Church of Bettendorf. The family will greet friends from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. Saturday at the church. McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home of Bettendorf is assisting the family with arrangements.
She was born in Mason City, Iowa on September 24, 1913, the daughter of Carl and Marie (Schmidt) Rausch.
She was a 1932 graduate of Mason City High School and completed training at Hamilton Business College in Mason City.
For a short time she worked at the U.S. Post Office in Mason City as its first female employee.
She was united in marriage to Marlin C. Thornblade in Mason City on August 28, 1938.
Helen and Marlin operated Marlin’s Department Store in Manly, Iowa from 1945 to 1965. Later she was employed as manager of the Needlework Department at Damon’s in Mason City.
Her memberships include Bethel United Methodist Church of Manly, Iowa and later Asbury United Methodist Church of Bettendorf, Iowa.
She enjoyed singing and listening to music, knitting and crocheting, collecting china cups and a variety of glassware and watching football, major league baseball, and bird watching.
Those left to honor her memory include her daughters, and sons-in-law, Marilyn & John Miller of Cedar Falls, Iowa and Carolyn & Don Keeney of Bettendorf; five grandchildren, Brad Miller of Grundy Center, Iowa and Kreg Miller of Cedar Falls, Iowa, David (Angela) Keeney of Blue Grass, Iowa, Ann (Jonathan) Grafft of Geneseo, Illinois and Barbara (Wesley) Parker of Colona, Illinois; six great-grandchildren, Meghan, Lauren, and Ian Keeney; Elisabeth and Aidan Grafft; and Owen Parker.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Marlin, on April 26, 1999; her sister, Elizabeth Rausch; her brother, Carl Rausch Jr.; and her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Theodore and Helen L. Thornblade; and her parents.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the family for a gift to the music ministries of her daughter’s churches.