Helen Marie McKinney

She was a kind hearted, hardworking, and a dedicated wife and mother, who was so very proud of her family, these are just a few ways to describe Helen McKinney.

The 1930's is mostly associated with the Great American Depression and President Franklin D. Roosevelt pledged to use the power of our government to make Americans' lives better, but there were many things going on in the 30's like the end of prohibition, the discovery of Pluto, air mail service across the Atlantic Ocean began, and the invention of 3M's Scotch Tape were just a few things. Nothing was more exciting for Aloysius and Frances (Jurgens) Bueker on March 29, 1930 in Shelby County, Illinois, welcoming the birth of Helen Marie.

Helen attended Neoga High School in Neoga, Illinois and graduated with the Class of 1948. On January 11, 1951, she married Leonard McKinney in Tuscola, Illinois. She was a homemaker for the majority of her life in addition to being a seamstress and working in food services.

Helen was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church, Rosary Sodality, and Irish Loners in Arcola, and had an immense love of Jesus. She also was an avid quilter and bird watcher, enjoyed gardening, growing flowers, spending time with her family, and being a regular blood donor to the American Red Cross. Helen will always be well remembered in the hearts of those who knew and loved her. On Sunday, January 27, 2019, at Renaissance Village, Helen Marie McKinney, age 88, of Columbia City, IN, passed away peacefully at 12:55 p.m.

Survivors include her husband, Leonard McKinney of Columbia City; children Colleen Brown and Diana Shoemaker, both of Columbia City, Jeanette (Mike) Wise of Fort Wayne, Elizabeth (Keith) Stelljes of Las Vegas, NV, Trudy (Leonard) White of Severn, MD, Dan (Laura) McKinney of Bluffton, Bonnie (Tom) Davis of Columbia City, Ed (Rhonda) McKinney of Port Charlotte, FL, and Brad (Kara) McKinney, of Columbia City; 15 grandchildren; 10 step-grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; siblings Margaret (Paul) Willenborg of Neoga, Ill., Norma Otterson of Eau Claire, WI, Clara Stuart of Helotes, TX, and Joan Jamison of Teutoplis, Ill.; sister-in-law Kathryn Bueker of Columbia City. She was preceded in death by her parents, son Gary McKinney, grandson Austin McKinney, siblings Bill, Louis, Adolph, George, and Carl Bueker, Luella Lilley, and Madonna Blair, and son-in-laws Ron Shoemaker and Vic Brown.

Friends may call from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. on Friday, February 1, 2019 with a reciting of the Rosary at 2:00 pm at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday February 2, 2019 at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Arcola, 12305 Arcola Rd, Fort Wayne, with calling one hour prior. Msgr. Thadeus Balinda, celebrant. Burial will follow in St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery, Arcola. Memorial contributions in memory of Helen may be made to St. Patrick Catholic Church, National Kidney Foundation, or Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Visit www.demoneygrimes.com to send the family an online condolence.