Helene Ann Dickmeyer

Arapahoe, Nebraska Helene Ann Dickmeyer, age 84, of Arapahoe, Nebraska died on Monday, April 4, 2011 at the C.A. Mues Good Samaritan Center in Arapahoe, Nebraska. She was born January 2, 1927, north of Arapahoe in Gosper County, Nebraska, to Karl Frederick Julius “KFJ” and Ida Louise (Hartman) Wendland. She was the youngest of 12 children and grew up on the family farm in the Elk Creek Community. She was baptized on Jan. 30, 1927, and confirmed on May 18, 1941, at Immanuel Lutheran Church. She attended high school in Arapahoe and was a graduate of the class of 1945. Following high school, she attained a teaching certificate and taught school at a rural school North-West of Arapahoe for several years. She later worked at the Army Ammunition Depot in Hastings, Nebraska. Helene married Richard Henry William Dickmeyer at Immanuel Lutheran Church on January 25, 1948. Five children were born to this union. They made their home on a farm located three miles north of Arapahoe. Helene became a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Arapahoe following her marriage to Richard. She was an active and devoted member of Trinity for the rest of her life. She taught Saturday and Sunday school for many years and was also a member of the Lutheran Woman’s Mission League. In addition to helping manage the family farm, Helene worked for a number of years at BD in Holdrege. Helene later took a position at C.A. Mues Good Samaritan Center in Arapahoe, where she served as a CSM for over 20 years. Following retirement, she volunteered many hours at Trinity’s Mission Mall in Arapahoe. Helene will be remembered by her many friends and family as a giving and caring person, who always put the welfare of others first and truly lived by the golden rule. Helene had a special love for animals and the outdoors. She loved to tend the livestock on the farm and had many special pets. She set up bird feeders to help the birds survive the harsh winters and especially loved her Cardinals. Her hobbies included gardening, fishing, camping, sightseeing, and cooking -- home-made apple pies were her specialty. She loved the family’s many camping trips to the Black Hills and enjoyed traveling to Germany in 1985 with her husband to visit their son and other German relatives. Helene was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Richard, on Oct. 10,2005, and her 11 siblings and their spouses, which included brothers: Carl, Max (Esta), Leonard (Anna), Martin (Doris), George and Victor (Helen) Wendland; and sisters: Henrietta (Walter) Warner, Emma (Martin) Monter, Elvira (Harold) Bloch and Bertha (Frank) Kalthoff, Margaret (Leonard) Dahms. She was also preceded in death by sisters-in-law, Dorothy Dickmeyer of Arapahoe, and Eleanor Schoenefeld and her husband Aaron as well as a number of nieces and nephews. Survivors include her sons Richard L. Dickmeyer of Arapahoe, Nebraska Kim Dickmeyer and wife Stephanie of Julesburg, Colorado Gary Dickmeyer and wife Claire of Stuttgart, Germany David Dickmeyer and wife Cindy of Arapahoe Daughter Rosellen Dickmeyer of Arapahoe, Nebraska 9 grandchildren: Kelly (Dr. Jeff) Erickson of Wallace, NE, John (Tammy) Dickmeyer of St. Joseph, MO., Gwen (James) Gundell of Gothenburg, NE., Angelie (Justin) Anson, of North Platte, NE, Katie Dickmeyer of Berlin, Germany, Michael Dickmeyer of Stuttgart, Germany, Scott Dickmeyer of Lincoln, NE., Alyssa Dickmeyer, of Kearney, NE., and Aaron Gillette of Lincoln, NE; 12 great-grandchildren: Ashton, Karlie, and Jefferson Grady Erickson, of Wallace, NE., Blayne, Braydon, Brody, and Blayke Dickmeyer, of St. Joseph, MO., Jaxson and Turner Gundell of Gothenburg, NE., Makaylee Anson, of North Platte, NE., Bentley Dickmeyer of Kearney, NE., and Kadin Logan of Arapahoe. Helene is also survived by Barbara (Wendland) Maaske, a niece who was raised like a sister on the family farm, and special friend of the family, Nancy Dickmeyer. She is also survived by brothers-in-law Leon Dickmeyer of Bloomfield, NE., and J.D. Dickmeyer of Safford, AZ., as well as a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and many, many dear friends. Condolences and personal reflections may be sent to Wenburgfuneralhome.com Viewing and visitation is Friday, April 8, 2011 from 9 am till 8 pm, at Wenburg Funeral Home in Arapahoe. Funeral services will be Saturday April 9, 2011 at 10:30 a.m., at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Arapahoe, with Pastor James Moshier, officiating. Burial will be at the Arapahoe Cemetery, Arapahoe, Nebraska. Wenburg Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.