Theresa Ann Helbach, 91, formerly of 2400 Dixon Street, died August 3, 2015 at the Portage County Health Care Center.
The Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, August 8, 2015 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Stevens Point. The Rev. Dennis Stanchik will officiate. Visitation will be in St. Joseph church on Saturday morning from 9:00 a.m. until the time for Mass. The wearing of purple is strongly encouraged. Burial will take place in the parish cemetery. Pisarski Funeral Homes is honored to be serving the family. For on line condolences please visit www.pisarskifuneralhome.com
Theresa was born April 29, 1924 in Stevens Point to the late Paul and Helen (Kruzicki) Turzinski. She attended school at St. Mary of Mount Carmel in Fancher where her lessons were taught in Polish. She boarded at the school during the week and walked home on the weekends. When she was 19, she moved to Chicago and worked in the Mars Candy Factory hand wrapping candy bars. She loved chocolate ever since. She was married to Walter D. Helbach on October 13, 1945 at St. Mary of Mount Carmel Church in Fancher. The wedding was delayed from its original date in June so her brother Ernie, returning from the war in Europe, could attend. Family was very important to her. Her husband Walter preceded her in death on June 12, 2007. Theresa raised seven children. Her life revolved around her family and her church. Her many volunteer activities included playground duty, 12 years as a volunteer at the Portage County Home, 27 years making baptismal gowns for the church, Sacristan, Eucharistic Minister, and cooking chicken dinners for parish picnics. She was a member of St. Anne’s society. Theresa also worked at the Pal Restaurant in downtown Stevens Point and Del Monte where she was one of the first female shift supervisors. Later she worked as housekeeper at St. Joseph’s rectory and St. Peter’s rectory. She was also house mother (cook) for the TKE Fraternity in Stevens Point. Theresa enjoyed gardening, traveling (most mothers read books to their children, she read maps), polka music and spending time with family. She led by example and was our compass in life and in adventure. Her faith, family and St. Joseph’s Parish were the center of her life. All seven of her children attended St. Joseph’s Grade School and Pacelli High School. The Walter and Theresa Helbach Scholarship has been set up at Pacelli High School in lieu of flowers.
Theresa is survived by her children: Con (Susan), Las Cruces, NM; Paul (Anita), Brule, WI; David (Jenny), Verona, WI; Barb, Houston, TX; Jeff (Shirley), St. Croix, V.I.; Tim, Sheboygan, WI; Bonnie (Ron), Stevens Point. 10 grandchildren: Casey, Zachary, Adam, Matthew, Ty, Dani, Chrissy and John Helbach, Heather Olds, and Stephanie Michel. 13 great-grandchildren: Joshua, Nathan, Noah, Esther, Madison, Harper, Tevin, Izaac, Luna, Elena, and Cordelia Helbach, Isiah Konapacki and McKenzie Maygora; and one brother, Stanley Turzinski of Plover. She is preceded in death by her husband, Walter; one grandchild, Jon Luis; one great-grandchild, Naomi; brothers: Ben, Ted, Ernie and Lawrence Turzinski; sisters: Florence Sankey, Bernadette Przekurat and Bridget Paryse.
The family would like to thank the staff at the Portage County Health Care Center whose devotion and compassion are remarkable.
The fact that our mother was 91 “does not diminish, it only magnifies, the enormity of the room whose door has now quietly shut.”