Helen Rainsberry

Helen Rainsberry, 89, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 23, 2022 at the Good Samaritan Society, Lakota, ND.

Funeral Service will be at 10:00 am on Friday, April 1, 2022 with visitation one hour prior to the funeral, at Grace Lutheran Church, Lakota, ND. Burial will be held at a later date.

Helen Jeanette Patron was born on November 11, 1932, to John and Mathilda (Moilanen) Patron, in Brocket, ND. She grew up and attended school at Brocket. Helen married O’Neil Rainsberry on her nineteenth birthday. O’Neil received his orders to report to the Army when they were home from their honeymoon.

When O’Neil finished his time in Okinawa, they made their home in rural Lakota where they farmed for their entire life together. Helen loved being a farm wife and working side-by-side with her husband; doing everything from driving tractors to milking cows and bringing the meals out to the field, all while raising their four children, Tom, Janeene, Merle and Kim.

Helen had a long and fulfilling life with her husband O’Neil. They recently celebrated their 70th anniversary together with a party at their former farmstead, which is now owned by their grandson.

Helen was truly O’Neil’s partner in life. They raised children together, farmed together, played together, and went on lots of camping trips and vacations with friends and neighbors. Helen loved deeply, her husband, her children, her grandchildren, her great grandchildren, her relatives, her pets and her friends.  She always wore a smile on her face and was known to give words of wisdom to anyone who might ask and maybe even those that didn’t ask.

Working outside the home didn’t start for Helen until the kids were older. She worked at ASCS office in Lakota for a time. She was involved in Grace Lutheran Church, teaching Sunday school, bible classes and ladies’ groups. Helen’s faith was very important to her, and she strived to love and serve her family, church, and community. She was member of the American Legion Auxiliary.

She loved doing crafts, sewing or painting and trying new recipes. There was nothing better than getting home from school and finding freshly baked caramel rolls for us to eat.

Helen was loved and will be missed by all who knew her.

Helen is survived by her husband, O’Neil, Lakota, ND; her son, Tom, Brocket, ND; her daughter, Janeene (Richard) Monley, East Grand Forks, MN; Grandchildren, Michael (Erin) Monley, Lynn Monley, Kristopher (Ashley) Rainsberry, Erin (Josh) Schroeder, Danielle Rainsberry, Emilie Rainsberry (Dar Natee), and Katie Rainsberry; Great Grandchildren, Kendall Monley, Kara Monley, Sarah Schroeder, Grace Schroeder, Matthew Monley, Brody Rainsberry, Caleb Rainsberry, Jaxen Natee, Ellisen Natee.

Helen was preceded in death by her sons, Kim Rainsberry and Merle Rainsberry; and her family, John Patron, Mathilda Patron, Stanley Patron, Dorothy Swingdoff, Nona Johnson, Paige Duklet and Ronald Patron.

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