Helen M. Cooley

Helen M. Cooley, age 86, of Lancaster, passed away on Thursday, November 20, 2008 at Orchard Manor after a short illness. She was born on July 21, 1922 in Platteville, WI, the daughter of William and Cordelia (Holzer) Sherwin.

Helen was always a homemaker. Her mother died when she was six years old. She attended school in Platteville. When she was 14, Helen kept house for her father and brothers after her sisters left home. After her father died in 1941, she moved to Lancaster to live with her sister, Frances. Helen met and married Carl Cooley on November 18, 1942 and together they farmed in Beetown township for 40 years, raising a family of six children. They moved to Lancaster in 1982 as the sons took over the farm. They celebrated their 47^th wedding anniversary prior to Carls death in June of 1990.

Helen loved her family and looked forward to them dropping by and raiding her cookie jar for chocolate chip cookies or her apple pie. Even the grandchildren and great-grandchildren knew where to find them. She loved to babysit for the grandchildren and great-grandchildren; she felt that spoiling them was her job.

Helen was a member of the Beetown Busy Braves 4-H Club for many years and the Grant County Farm Bureau, serving on various boards. She was elected Mrs. Farm Bureau in 1981. Helen volunteered at the Lancaster Care Center, helping residents play bingo. She was a member of St. Clement Catholic Church. Helen liked to play cards, bake, tend to her flowers and bum around as she put it. One of her favorite sayings was give me flowers now, not when Im dead.

Helen is survived by her six children: David Cooley, Bloomington, James (Gloria) Cooley, Lancaster, Barbara Cooley, Marion, IA, Michael (Geri), Gary Doc (Ann) and Kevin Cooley, all of Lancaster; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; her sister, Frances Reuter, Platteville; her daughter-in-law, Barbara Cooley, Bloomington; sisters-in-law, Dorothy Cooley and Kathleen Sherwin both of Lancaster and Jeanette Sherwin, Platteville

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Carl; her sister, Geneieve Losch; four brothers, Clarence, Raymond, Guerdon and Donald Sherwin.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, November 24, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Clement Catholic Church in  Lancaster with Father William Seipp officiating. Burial will be in  Hillside Cemetery,  Lancaster. Visitation will be held on Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and Monday from 9:30 a.m. until time of the services all at the church. In lieu of plants and flowers, a Helen M. Cooley memorial fund has been established. Schwartz Funeral Home in Lancaster is serving the family.