Helen Cullen

Helen E. (Leintz) Cullen, wife of Michael T. Cullen, died peacefully Monday 15 September 2014 after a 16-year battle with Alzheimer’s Disease, one month shy of her 92nd birthday, and one month past their 70th wedding anniversary.

Born and raised in Harvey, North Dakota of German immigrants, Gottlieb & Martha Leintz, Helen married a young University of Minnesota graduate whose first job after graduation was teaching agriculture in Harvey.  Helen and Michael moved a year later to Ortonville, MN and a year after that to Willmar, MN, where they lived for 55 years.  Helen was active in St. Mary’s Catholic Church choir, as a Eucharistic Minister, Altar & Rosary Society, Coordinator of the Fall Harvest Dinner, a Regent of the Daughters of Isabella and also served as an election judge for many years, a member of the city Planning Commission and as a Meals on Wheels coordinator.

Helen loved playing bridge, dancing, travel, and shopping. In the garden, the purple iris was her horticultural masterpiece; she annually produced wonderful Christmas cookies, a legendary rhubarb custard pie and routinely employed so many candles at Christmas that we didn’t need the furnace in Willmar in December!  Mike has been exemplary in his dedication to Helen’s care over the past 16 years.  Mike and Helen have enjoyed living at Arbor Lakes Senior Living in Maple Grove, MN.

Helen is survived by her husband Michael of Maple Grove, MN, son Michael Jr. (Suzanne) of Sanibel, FL, daughters Mary Zillmann (Ric) of Plymouth, MN, Patricia (Gregg) Lundquist of Kansas City, KS and son John (Joe Gibbons) of Minneapolis as well as 8 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Her parents and 10 siblings preceded Helen in death.

Funeral mass 11AM, Monday Sept 22, St. Vincent dePaul Catholic Church, 9100 93rd Ave N, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Visitation will be one hour prior to the mass at church on Monday morning. Public burial will be at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis following the funeral luncheon. Memorials preferred to Interim Hospice of the Twin Cities.