Helen Adeline Woodford

Helen Woodford, 96, of Redwood Falls died Sunday, December 15, 2013 at her home. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, December 19, 2013 from First United Methodist Church in Redwood Falls with burial to follow in the Redwood Falls Cemetery. Visitation will be held Thursday, from 9 until 11 a.m., at the church.

The family requests memorials be directed to First United Methodist Church’s United Methodist Women or Sunday school.

Arrangements are with Nelson-Martin Funeral Service of Redwood Falls. E-mail condolences may be sent via www.nelsonmartinfuneralservice.com .

Helen Adeline Woodford, the daughter of Floyd and Clara (Bertness) Skelton, was born November 19, 1917 in Sioux Rapids, Iowa. Helen grew up in Sioux Rapids and graduated from Garfield High School. She received her teaching certificate from Beuna Vista College in Storm Lake, Iowa and went on to teach in country schools.

On May 9, 1936, Helen married Leroy Woodford in the Congregational Church parsonage in Sioux Rapids. The couple farmed south of Redwood Falls for a time. The Woodfords then lived on the south edge of town where they moved a house from Delhi, built a basement under it and then remodeled the house. It was there that Leroy and Helen started his trucking business. They later relocated to a farm west of Redwood Falls. Following their retirement from farming, Helen and Leroy moved into Redwood Falls. Helen kept busy raising their five sons; she later was employed for 13 years as a nurses’ aide at the Redwood County Nursing Home and then Wood Dale Nursing Home.

Helen was a member of First United Methodist Church in Redwood Falls where she served as Sunday school superintendent, taught Sunday school, and was an active member of Bible study groups and the United Methodist Women. She enjoyed spending time with her family, reading, gardening, cooking, writing letters, and helping people.

Helen is survived by her sons Robert (Marilu) Woodford of Hastings, James Woodford of Little Canada, John (Diane) Woodford of Redwood Falls, David Woodford of Redwood Falls, and Charles (Ann) Woodford of Minnieska. Also surviving are her grandchildren Bradley, Lisa, Heidi, Jane, Cory, Cathy Jo, Bobbi Jo, Robin, Sondra, Brenda, Wanda, Richard, Charleen, Anthony, Angela, Jill, Rachel, Kelly, Derek, Stacey, Amy, Cari, and Andrew; several great-grandchildren; her sister Thelma (Chuck) Mills of Spencer, Iowa; and sisters-in-law Dorothy Skelton of Kalispel, Montana, Kathie Skelton of Sioux Rapids, Lillian Woodford of White Bear Lake, and Eileen Woodford of Redwood Falls.

She was preceded in death by her husband Leroy on October 18, 2003; her brothers Wendell Skelton, Russell Skelton, Raymond Skelton, Nathan Skelton, and Floyd Skelton in infancy; and her sister Cordelia Johnson.

Blessed be her memory.