Helen Rose (Helminski) Wichtoski, age 92, passed away peacefully on December 21, 2022, at Masonic Pathways, Alma MI.

Helen was born, in Manistee MI, on May 10, 1930, the youngest daughter of the late Ernest & Rose (Kowalski) Helminski.  She attended St. Joseph Catholic School and graduated from Manistee High School in 1948. She lived over half her life in Freesoil and was a very active part of the community. She moved back to Manistee in retirement and was always on the go.

She was employed as a bookkeeper for Mackin Motor Sales for 15 years and later in life, Freesoil Community Schools where she retired after 18 years of service.  She was also the Freesoil Village Clerk, and St. John Cantius bookkeeper for years.  She was always volunteering at Church events and enjoyed the pinochle parties.  She was a member of the Manistee Eagles Auxiliary, the Manistee VFW Auxiliary and life member of the St. John Cantius Rosary Society.

Helen loved dancing and would dance every Friday and Saturday nights. She was an avid bowler on the Blarney Castle team for decades, traveling to many national tournaments with her teammates.  She was most proud of her high game, at the Club Bolmor of 297, which she would tell to anyone who would listen. She loved Bingo and Sunday afternoons you would find her at the VFW with her friends.  She never passed up an opportunity to scratch off a lottery ticket and enjoyed going to the casino.  She was full of mischief and always had great one- liners to come back to you with.  Her humor and smile will be missed as well as her famous Banana Split Cake.

She was a wonderful loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother, always willing to spend time with her grandkids and a little competitive too.  She would practice video games especially Atari Pacman all week, just so she could keep up with them.  She was very proud of her family and is survived by her daughters: Patricia (Tom) Luth of Grand Rapids MI, Paula (Todd) Moeggenborg of Alma MI, and Pamela (Paul) Tremblay of Gladwin, MI, Grandsons Paul (Rebeka) Moeggenborg, Nicholas (Alyssa) Moeggenborg, Adam Moeggenborg and Jordan Luth and great granddaughter Lucina Joy Moeggenborg and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband Darl LaGuire, her parents Ernest and Rose, sisters: Frances Hajec, Martha Helminski, Mary Tarczon and brothers: John, Joseph, Frank, Thomas & Al Helminski.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, December 28, 2022 at 11:00 am at St. John Cantius Church in Freesoil with Reverend Daniel DePew celebrant.  Burial will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery in Freesoil in the spring of 2023. The family will receive friends at the Church in Freesoil from 10:00 am until the time of mass.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to St. John Cantius Catholic Church, Freesoil MI, ProMedica Hospice: promedicaseniorcare.org/giving or the charity of your choice

The Herbert Funeral Home of Manistee is in charge of funeral arrangements.