Helen McLaughlin

Helen Bernice McLaughlin, age 86, of Sherrard, Illinois died Tuesday, April 18, 2006 at Mercer County Nursing Home, Aledo. Funeral services are 11:00 a.m., Saturday, April 22, 2006 at Dennison Funeral Home, Viola. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service on Saturday per Helen's request. Burial will be in Sherrard Cemetery. Memorials may be left for Sherrard Fire and Ambulance Department or Mercer County Nursing Home. Helen Bernice Maasen was born November 26, 1919 to Henry and Katherine (Rosenkrantz) Maasen in Moline, Illinois. Helen lived in Moline until 1930 when her family moved to her current home in Sherrard, Illinois. Helen attended school in Sherrard and graduated from Sherrard High School in 1937. She married Robert Cash McLaughlin of Viola, IL on July 8, 1941 in Kahoka, MO. He died January 20, 2006. Helen was a homemaker and was devoted to her children and husband. She enjoyed being with her family, fishing for bluegill and crappie and family vacations in Colorado and Wisconsin. Helen was known for her embroidery skill, her cinnamon rolls and lemon pie. Helen was a life long member of the Sherrard Women's Club, Sherrard Home Extension and TOPS. Although Helen was primarily a homemaker, in earlier days, she was an "Avon Lady" and made her deliveries in her fathers Model "A" Ford in and around Sherrard. Helen is survived by a son Lowell, Sherrard, daughter and son-in-law, Joan and Richard Sanders, Sherrard, a granddaughter and her husband, Heidi and David McCleave, Rochester, MN, a great grandson, Cory McCleave and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband - Robert and a sister Ruth.