Hartjes, Helen

1921 - 2017  (96 years)    Has 28 ancestors and 6 descendants in this family tree.

• Name	Hartjes, Helen
  Born	20 Feb 1921	Combined Locks, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
  Gender	Female
  Died	4 May 2017
  Obituary	7 May 2017
  APC
  Helen Louise Hartjes came into this world on a cold day, February 20, 1921. She lived a wonderful 96 years of life on earth before being called to her heavenly home on Thursday, May 4, 2017. She was born a healthy baby girl to Cornelius and Harriet (Jansen) Hartjes. She would join the family and was one of her parents 12 children. They lived in a big house in Combined Locks, where she lived her young life and where she went to school. Eventually, Helen caught the attention of Francis Carl Mertens, who quickly fell in love with her (because why wouldn't you!) and they were married on June 24, 1941. Together they enjoyed 50+ years of marriage before he was taken to his heavenly home in 1998. On July 1, 1943, she gave birth to a daughter and her only child, Janice (Mertens) Guernsey and she preceded her in death 1 month ago on April 5, 2017. The loss of her only child was extremely difficult for Helen and she developed a broken heart after the death of her daughter, and the sadness of that loss caused her heart to fail. Helen worked at Quaker Bakery when they had a little store on Mason Street in Appleton. Carl and Helen eventually moved to Greenville and slowly developed the hobby of raising horses and all the chores that came along with that. They also had a small apple orchard and sold apples to people within the community. She loved cooking, playing cards with friends, going to lunch with her sisters and visiting good friends. When her great-grandkids were young, there was always room on her lap for them and she patiently read numerous books over and over again. She was a grandma to Jan's 3 children, Mark, Jeff, and Rene' Dorschner. Mark and Rene' preceded her in death and she missed them dearly and said she was looking forward to hugging them again in heaven. To us, she was the most amazing and loving woman. We have learned to love, laugh and live from her and the quietness from her absence will be hard on all of us Survivors include her son-in-law, Skip "Irving" Guernsey, her grandson, Jeff (Lisa) Dorschner; her great-grandchildren, Raine, Kayla, Ashanti, and Ezra Dorschner and Niki (Tim) Eickholt; Mark's children, Katie and Erin Dorschner. She was fortunate to have a great-great grandson, Anthony Miller III, who always brought a smile to her face when she was able to spend time with him. She also leaves behind one dear sister, Lucina Jandrey and sister-in-law, Louise Mertens (who is 102). Although difficult to see each other in recent years, Helen cherished her visits with Louise and Lucy. She had many family members precede her in death and they are happily waiting her arrival in heaven, as it is sure to be a huge family reunion. Those people include her parents and 10 siblings. Her mother-in-law and father-in-law, as well as all her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. And most importantly, her grandchildren, Mark and Rene' Dorschner. A Mass of Christian burial will at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 9. 2017 at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Hortonville. Visitation will take place from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service directly at the church. Burial will be in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Greenville. The family would like to thank the nurses on 3rd floor at AMC/ThedaCare. These nurses provided so much love, tenderness, patience, and compassion not only to Helen, but to our entire family. Some of them include, Steph, Leah, Mike, Daphne, Ellen, the Chaplains and everyone else on 3rd floor at AMC. Nurses are very special people and all the nurses that helped Helen and our entire family hold a very dear place in our hearts. You made this process much more tolerable. God Bless you all as you continue your nursing career. In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established. Published in Appleton Post-Crescent on May 7, 2017
  Person ID	I29547	1FamilyTree | CarlaDorow25298
  Last Modified	7 May 2017

  
  

  Father	Hartjes, Cornelius,   b. 9 Mar 1882, , , Wisconsin, USA ,   d. 19 Dec 1953, Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA  (Age 71 years)
  Mother	Jansen, Harriet,   b. 25 Aug 1885, Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA ,   d. 31 Dec 1962, Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA  (Age 77 years)
  Family ID	F9866	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Mertens, Francis Carl,   b. 4 Nov 1918,   d. 10 Jun 1998  (Age 79 years)
  Married	24 Jun 1941
  Children	+ 1. Mertens, Janice,   b. 1 Jul 1943, Kaukauna, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA ,   d. 5 Apr 2017, Hortonville, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA  (Age 73 years)
  Last Modified	7 May 2017
  Family ID	F15363	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map	Load the map	Born - 20 Feb 1921 - Combined Locks, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos

  Mertens, Helen (Maiden Name: Hartjes)