Helen Yager

Helen Mae Yager was born November 26, 1920, to Carl and Amanda (Weisbrod) Kern at the family farm near Fenton. She attended country school from Grades 1-8 and graduated from Fenton High School. She received her RN degree from Iowa Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in Des Moines. She married Clarence Yager at the First Methodist Church of Omaha on December 1, 1942. To this union, six sons were born: Kern Web, Don Craig, Tom Dean, Ted Lee, Joe Alan and Dave Lynn.

Helen's first job was at Iowa Methodist Hospital, but World War II saw her switch to the first aid station at the U.S. Army's Ankeny Ordinance Plant. Following the war, she was a very busy stay-at-home mom until 1963 when she became the first school nurse for the Sentral Community School District. This was followed by work at Palo Alto County Hospital for several years. In 1977, she joined the Public Health Nursing Service of Kossuth County, where she continued until retirement.

Helen was a member of the Fenton United Methodist Church. She was active in the United Methodist Women for many years, served as a Sunday School teacher and Circle leader and took part in all church activities. She also enjoyed Senior Citizens, women's club and playing cards in the library basement. She was an avid gardener and reader, an excellent cook, and until her legs refused to cooperate, she loved to walk around town, especially in the summer when she took it upon herself to pinch off the spent petunia blossoms from the planters on main street.

Helen was a typical Depression era child who learned to make do with what you had, not to waste anything and, it seems, never to throw anything away. "You never know when you might need it", she'd often say to her incredulous-looking boys as they watched their mom stash away another valuable item. And when, years later, they saw her actually make use of the thing, she'd smile at them with a mischievous look in her eye.

Left to cherish Helen's memory are sons Kern (Ingrid), Don, Ted, Joe (Kathy) and Dave (Char), daughter-in-law Rita, lots of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews as well as her Afghan son, Nader, and her best friend of 96 years, cousin Ruth in Long Beach. Among those getting to heaven before her were her parents, her sister and three brothers, a daughter-in-law, her husband, and her son Tom.

Helen would be pleased if you wished to honor her memory. The best way would be to remember your church, the Fenton Fire Department and Ambulance Service, the Fenton library, or a cancer charity.