Helen Oshel

Helen J. Oshel, daughter of William (Bill) & Gladys (Woosley) Sickels, was born April 6, 1919 near Kent, Iowa and passed away December 12, 2011 at Clearview Home in Clearfield, Iowa at the age of 92 years and 8 months and 6 days.
Helen graduated from Lenox High School in May of 1937. Helen was married June 3, 1937 at Shenandoah, Iowa to Ralph Oshel. To this union were born three children; Mary Ann, Sherri Rae, and Larry D. Helen was a house wife all of her married life. She lived on a farm northwest of Benton and then on a farm southwest of Diagonal. Helen was a member of the First Christian Church of Diagonal and then the United Church of Diagonal. She taught Sunday school & bible school. She was a member of the Rebekah Lodge for 60 years. She was very active in the lodge until her later years. She loved to quilt and do crafts. She was always making things for her family. Helen was a wonderful grandmother who was always taking care of her grandchildren & great grandchildren either at her house or their home. She always had things for them to make and of course good food. She taught them everything from good manners to how to quilt & sew. She loved each & every one of them very much.
Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Oshel; parents, Bill & Gladys Sickels; sister Evelyn Lynch; daughter Mary Ann Mercer, parents-in-law John & Elsie Oshel; sisters-in-law Fern Miller & husband George, Linnabell Tridle & husband William, Dorothy Ingraham & husband Harry; brothers-in-law Jack Abbott, Landis Butcher, Clyde Oshel, Vern Oshel & wife Margaret, Johnnie Oshel & wife Dee, and Roy Oshel.
She is survived by her daughter Sherri (Larry) Armstrong of St. Petersburg, Florida; a son Larry (Christa) Oshel of Diagonal, IA; son-in-law Darrel Mercer of Blockton, IA; seven grandchildren Robert (Louisa) Mercer of Diagonal, Patricia (Mike) Rowe of Sheridan, MO, Diane (Ron) Stephenson of Eldon, IA, David Armstrong and Evone (John) Houton of St. Petersburg, FL, Tony (Kris Davis) Oshel and Susie Oshel of Diagonal; 12 great grandchildren and 11 great great grandchildren; sisters-in-law Joyce Abbott of Creston, Alice (Danny) Shannon of Boone, IA, Norma Butcher of Des Moines, IA and Irvel Oshel of Osceola, IA; numerous relatives and friends.
Her memorial fund is to the United Church of Diagonal.