Helen Viola Fitzer, 94, Luverne, died Thursday, May 27, 2021, under hospice care at Good Samaritan Society – Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, June 6, at Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne. A private family service will be Monday, June 7, with burial to follow at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne.
Helen Stein was born June 4, 1926, to Julius and Katherine (Johansen) Stein in Brookings, South Dakota. She moved to Rock County in Minnesota in 1936 where she graduated from Luverne High School in 1944. Following graduation, she was employed at Creeger’s Clothing Store in Luverne as a bookkeeper.
Helen married Maurice Fitzer on April 9, 1948, at the First Presbyterian Church in Luverne. The couple made their home south of Luverne on the Fitzer family farm. Helen took on the role of farm wife and mother. In 1983 the family farm transitioned to their son Geff, and Helen and Maurice moved into town. They later downsized from their home to an apartment before moving to Poplar Creek Assisted Living and later to the Good Samaritan Society – Mary Jane Brown Home. Maurice died on Jan. 4, 2016.
Helen was a 60-plus-year member of the First Presbyterian Church in Luverne where she was involved in Anchor Group and the women’s circle. She enjoyed gardening, cooking and baking and was skilled at needlepoint and cross stitching. She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and loved having family up at their cabin on Lake Benton. She was known for her rum cakes and pizza burgers.
Helen is survived by her children, Gregg (Laurie) Fitzer of Surprise, Arizona, Geff (Jackie) Fitzer of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Sally Fitzer of Verona, Wisconsin; eight grandchildren, Gina (Kris) Jacobsen, Katie (Dennis) Haugland, Grant (Alexandra) Fitzer, Brynn Fitzer, Tori (Matthew) Carper, Chris Fitzer (Jessica Quittem), Mikki Fitzer and Connor Fitzer (Lauren Muller); 13 great-grandchildren; and other family.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Maurice; son Gary Fitzer; and three brothers, Clarence Stein, Raymond Stein and Leonard Stein.
Memorials may be directed to FAST (Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics), PO Box 608, Downs Grove, IL 60515.
Arrangements are provided by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, hartquistfuneral.com.
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