Helen Irene Melquist of Cokato Passed away at Dassel Lakeside Nursing Home on August 27, 2017.
Funeral Service: 11 AM Thursday August 31, 2017 at Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cokato
Visitation: 1hr prior to service at church
Interment: Cokato City Cemetery
Helen Irene (Wendolek) Melquist, was born January 26, 1927 at home in Hale Township of McLeod County, Minnesota to Theophil and Sophie (Pilarski) Wendolek. She grew up on a farm in Hale Township and attended country school to the 8th grade.
On November 7, 1945 Helen married Lloyd Melquist. They had met on a blind date some time earlier. They were married at the parish house in Silver Lake, Minnesota. The wedding day entailed sunshine in the morning, rain in the afternoon and by evening snow. From this union they were blessed with 4 children, Dianne, Loren, Darlene, and Larry. The couple moved to their farm, northeast of Cokato. Helen worked with her husband milking cows. Raising pigs, chickens, steers, cash crops, along with canning many home grown garden vegetables. Helen loved to cook and care for her family. She was well known for her great cooking, 2 of her well known dishes, made for her family each year were, potato sausage, which she learned from her mother-in-law Alice, and Czarnina (duck soup), a recipe passed down from her mother.
In her earlier years, she worked at Johnson produce, Northland Canning, and Fabra-Tek. She also was secretary over the farm and sawmill business and worked alongside Lloyd, running a sawmill for 40 years doing custom sawing and manufacturing pallets, and doing whatever to make a richer life for her family. Along with all the hard work of the farm, she enjoyed raising her children, making pies, cookies and banana bread, playing softball, working at the Evangelical Lutheran Church stand during the Corn Carnival, helping to prepare quilt blocks and going out dancing with her husband, friends and relatives. She served pie on Presidents Day for the Cokato Chamber of Commerce. Her soul was filled with love and the times she was able to spend with her children, grand-children, great-grand-children, great-great- grand children. Helen was a lifelong member of Cokato Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Helen passed away at Dassel Lakeside Nursing Home on August 27, 2017. She had reached the age of 90 years 7 months and 1 day. Survivors include; 3 children: Dianne (Bob) Zitzloff, Darlene (Jim Stigen, fiancé) Larson, both of Cokato, and Larry Melquist of Minneapolis. Grandchildren: Darwin and Blaine Zitzloff, Josie Koivisto, Jake Pettit, Janna Stigen, Angela Templin. Great-grandchildren: Devin, Ryan, and Cheyenne Zitzloff, Deserae Peterson, Dylan and Caleigh Zitzloff, T.J., Charlie, Martin and Brock Koivisto. Addison, Ava, and Breck Pettit, Gracey and Breana Templin. Great Great Grand child Carter Peterson. Many Nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by: parents Sophie and Theophil Wendolek, husband Lloyd Melquist, son Loren Melquist, grandson Scott Melquist. 3 Brothers: Donald, Albert, and Theophil Wendolek.