Helen B. Gartner

HELEN B. GARTNER…… August 2nd, 1921 - July 3, 2012. Helen was born on August 2nd, l921, to Frank and Julia (Macha) Mareska in Tabor, South Dakota 90 years ago. She grew up in Tabor with her siblings, and attended Tabor Public Schools, graduating from Tabor High School. Along with her siblings, she pitched in and helped work and run the restaurant and hotel her mother owned in Tabor. Her father, Frank, died in 1928, and her mother remarried Frank Nesladek in 1933 and the family then moved to Pukwana, South Dakota. Helen married Lawrence Oliver Gartner in Neligh, Nebraska on February 25th, 1941, and the newlyweds moved to LeSueur where Lawrence worked as a farmer and truck driver for many years. Le Sueur remained Helen's home even after Lawrence's untimely death in 1966. She had large ties with her husband's large family and friends. Helen enjoyed being "on the road" with Lawrence, and traveled throughout the continental United States whenever her busy schedule allowed. She and Lawrence had two children, Larry and Carol. Helen worked at the LeSueur Country Club as a server. She then became the salad chef at the famous Holiday House Supper Club until her retirement. Helen's cuisine was enjoyed by many celebrities, movers and shakers. She told many humorous and interesting stories about her experiences there. She became a first time homeowner in 1993 at the age of 72, when she moved from a farm outside of LeSueur where she had lived for 40 years, to a small house at 209 Cantwell Street. There she spent the next several years visiting with the neighbors, gardening in her raspberry patch. She was known affectionately to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren as Grammy. She moved into Country Neighbors in LeCenter in 2009. Helen loved to shop in Mankato, especially Herbergers and on Senior Citizen Day, and at garage sales. In her younger days a lot of time was spent with Lawrence at their cabin in Crosby Ironton. She loved to fish as well as to eat fish..even COLD for breakfast. Her 1987 Chevrolet Caprice Classic was her pride and joy. She polished it every time it got a little dusty. Helen could beat ANY teenager out of the gate and never got a ticket (that anyone knew of.) She loved to cook and bake, especially her Glorified Sponge cake when her grandson Chris came to visit. She especially looked forward to her trips to Texas to stay with her daughter, Carol, and her family. Helen is survied by her children; Larry Gartner and special friend Dorene Edwards of LeSueur; Carol and Miles (Tucker) Lang of Ben Brook, Texas. Grandchildren; Christopher (wife Pat) Gartner; Teresa (Bill) Hunt; Jody (Joe) Bechmeier; James (Tina) Gartner, Kathy (Brian) Bowman, Mark (Tracy) Lang and Monica (Aaron) Summerhill, and 14 great-grandchildren. Siblings: Judy Havelik of Kimball, South Dakota; Mavis Ryan of Billings, Montana; Half-brother, Joe Hesladek of Chamberlain, South Dakota; Sister-in-law, Alice Mareska of Miller, South Dakota, nieces and nephews, and the caring staff and residents at Country Neighbors in LeCenter. Plus her gentle Hospice caregivers. Helen is preceded in death by her parents; husband Lawrence; brothers, Frank and Edward Mareska; half-brother, Vencil Nesladek who died in infancy; in-laws Hubert "Bud" and Marietta Gartner; Clayton and Eleanor Wiese; Bill Ryan and former daughter-in-law Linda Wald,