Obituary: Shirley Helling

Shirley Ann Helling, age 94, of Hudson, Iowa passed away on Saturday March 21,  2026 at Pinnacle Specialty Care in Cedar Falls Iowa.  

Shirley was born on August 16,1931 at her rural home in Bricelyn, Minnesota. She was  the youngest of Eddie and Annie Hove's 10 children. She was baptized and confirmed at South  Blue Earth Church and attended Homedahl country school through the 8th grade. She  attended Rake Iowa High School graduating in 1949. She married Thomas Helling October 7,  1949 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. They lived in Kensett, Mason City, Manly, and  Ventura before moving to Hudson in 1963.  

Shirley worked in a hospital, as a bank teller, and the Hudson COOP Dairy as a  bookkeeper. In 1973 she began working as a secretary for the principal at Hudson Community  School until her retirement in 1993. In her retirement she and Tom enjoyed vacationing in Texas  and at their son Mark's home in Arizona. A special vacation was a trip to Norway in 2006 to  visit Tom's Norwegian relatives.  

Shirley was a longtime member of Hudson Community Church. She enjoyed traveling,  camping, baking, cooking, dancing, and loved spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren.  

She is survived by her two sons, Richard (Marilyn) Helling of Hudson, and Mark (Lisa  Benton) Helling of Benson, AZ; a son-in-law, Ross Harder of Cedar Falls; four grandchildren,  Heather (Gabe) Wyckoff, Missy (Jeff) Wheeler, Aaron (Melissa) Helling, and Kris (Brooke)  Helling; seven great-grandchildren, Nathan and Brady Wyckoff, Scarlett, Kale, Liam, Karson  and Silas Helling; two sisters-in-law, Betty Shanks of Spokane, WA, and Barb Gibbs of  Galveston, TX ; and, brother-in-law, Robert Helling of Longville, MN.  

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Thomas; daughter, Vicky  Harder; a son in infancy; granddaughter April Harder; and 9 siblings, Orville, Arlo, Clifford,  Thelma, Emmeline, Clarice, Gladys, Margie, and Arlene.  

A Public visitation will be held from 4:00 - 6:00 PM, Thursday, March 26, 2026 at Locke  at Tower Park, 4140 Kimball Ave., Waterloo.  

Public Funeral Services are at 10:30 AM, Friday, March 27, 2026 at the Community  Church of Hudson, 226 Eldora Rd., Hudson. Burial will follow at the Hudson Cemetery  In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be directed to the family.