Helen S. Collins, 97

Helen S. Collins, 97, died Friday, June 23, 2006, at Immanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell. She was born June 14, 1909, in Saltese to Herman J. and Sadie Ellen (Shelley) Seidemann.

Helen was the eldest of four children. She attended grade schools in Saltese, Helena and Montague, Calif. She graduated from Intermountain High School in Helena and from Western Montana College in Dillon, where she earned her teaching credentials. Helen also later attended Northern Montana College in Havre and the University of Montana.

While she was in high school, princesses from all Montana counties were chosen to attend a reception in Helena honoring Charles Lindberg after his historic Atlantic crossing. Helen was the princess from Mineral County. Her first train ride was in a coal car during the 1910 forest fire when all women and children were evacuated to Missoula, and the men remained in Saltese to protect their homes.

Helen was married to Harold C. Collins in 1930. Harold's father was one of the five founding directors of the State Bank of Somers. His mother, from Stillwater, Minn., had been the nanny for the John O'Brien family when they came to Somers to start the big saw and tie mill. They had two children, ClaraEllen and Clifford, and lived in Somers on the land that now is occupied by the Mackinaw Grille and the Vista Linda Restaurants.

In 1945, the family lived for one year in Roundup. They moved to Kalispell in 1946 and remained there until the present.

Helen and Harold celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in August 1980. Harold passed away April 10, 1981.

In addition to teaching school in Somers and Roundup, Helen taught for 26 years at Edgerton School in the East North of Kalispell, retiring in 1972.

Loving to travel, Helen and Harold had wonderful trips including going to the Mardi Gras in New Orleans and a most memorable six-week trip to Nova Scotia and Key West, Fla., with her sister, Luise, and her husband, Joe Vranish, and Joe's brother and sister-in-law, Steve and Stella Vranish.

For many years she was active in the Kalispell Music Club and at church, where she taught Sunday school and sang in the choir. Helen and Harold were longtime members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church

One of Helen's favorite hobbies was quilting. She once won the Northwest Montana Fair's 'Best of Show' award for her 'Storm at Sea' quilt.

Of special meaning to Helen was that she was a cousin of former Gov. Sam C. Ford, whom she and her family visited on numerous occasions from 1940 to 1948 at the old governor's mansion in Helena.

Helen continued to live in the family home until July 1996, when a broken hip resulted in her move to Buffalo Hill Terrace. In November 2001, at age 92, she moved into Immanuel Lutheran Home, where she resided until her passing.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Harold; her parents; her brother, Hugo; her sister, Luise; and her son-in-law, Jerry Anderson.

She is survived by her daughter, ClaraEllen Anderson, and a son, Cliff Collins, and wife, Lynda, all of Kalispell,; three granddaughters, Jeri Ellen and Sue Ellyn Anderson of Kalispell, and Shelley Collins of Cleveland, Miss.; one brother, Herman J. Seidemann, of Phoenix; and many special nieces and nephews, including Marka Marquesen of Columbia Falls, who frequently visited her.

Memorial services for Helen S. Collins will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 29, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, with Pastor Peter Ramseth and Pastor Larry Stappler officiating. Burial will be at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, June 29, at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 28, in the Johnson Mortuary Chapel.

Johnson Mortuary and Crematory is caring for Helen's family.