Helen Marie (Thomas) Haughey

[Guest Nicole]

Helen Marie (Thomas) Haughey age 95, and a resident of Tama, IA, for 67years, died in her home under the care of family and Iowa River Hospice on July 22, 2016.

Helen was bom in Oskaloosa, Iowa, October 11, 1920. She was second oldest of seven children born to Dave and Felicia (Carr) Thomas. She married Karl Haughey on November 2, 1940 in Oskaloosa. Both moved to Tama after the end of WWII during which Karl and four of his brothers served in the US Navy. They opened a grocery store and started the GI Cab Company at that time. They later purchased a farm just outside of Tama where the family was raised. Karl passed away in 1991 in his home on the family farm after both he and Helen had been retired from farming and the taxi business for a couple of years.

Since her husband passed away, Helen has enjoyed broadening her horizons. Always making time for friends and family and enjoying the special time she had to share with them. She was a great teacher to her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and anyone who was lucky enough to experience her fried chicken, potatoes, and gravy for lunch will surely think about that memory. She always put everyone else first. It will certainly carry on through the people that were near and dear to her.

She enjoyed studying her religion and was very devout. Helen was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses in July 1995. Since then, Helen has zealously shared her faith with her neighbors, often doing so along with fellow Christians from her congregation. She enjoyed many memories of lunch with fellow believers at the local Big T Maid-Rite: sharing their experiences for the day.

She also enjoyed traveling with family members and friends to new places and experiencing new things. One of the first times she traveled out-of-state after retiring and raising her family was an eye opening experience for her and she stated "I couldn't believe how many people were driving, walking around, doing normal day to day stuff. The world is much bigger than I thought and I am missing it. I want to experience more of it." And she did.

She very much enjoyed her home and her flowers. "It's the little things that make me happy" she would say. Hummingbirds, tulips, pansies, anything of beauty or simplicity, it all mattered to her. She was very considerate of everything and everyone.

She loved to cook, be outside, and talk about her family and belief in God, and her hope for the future for us all. She will truly be missed by her family.

Helen is survived by her sister Anne Wymore of Oskaloosa, IA and a brother Jack (Peg) Thomas of Springfield, MO.

Karl and Helen raised six children: Michael (Sue) Haughey of Tama, IA, Karla(Jerry) Anderson of Molalla, OR, Vickie Smith of Vinton, IA, Edward(Jolene) Haughey of Tama, IA, Marsha (Dan) Quigley of Collins, IA, and Shelley(Dale) Cruikshank of Toledo, IA.

Helen has 19 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren, and I great-great granddaughter.

Proceeding her in death was her husband Karl, her daughter Shelley Cruikshank, her parents, and her sisters; Feme Bollinger, Emmy Williamson, Jean Conklin and June Wiggins.

A private graveside service will be held at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Tama at a future date.

Any memorial funds received will be donated to Iowa River Hospice of Marshalltown.

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