Helen Bendixen, 82

Published 10:29 am Thursday, September 5, 2013

The funeral service for Helen Mabel Bendixen will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at Grace Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. The Rev. Todd Walsh will officiate. Interment will be in Lakewood Cemetery. Visitation is from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Bonnerup Funeral Service in Albert Lea, as well as one hour prior to the service at the church.

Helen died on Monday, Sept. 2, 2013, at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester. She was 82 years old.

Helen was born on Jan. 20, 1931, at Naeve Hospital in Albert Lea and was the daughter of Oscar and Mable (Swenning) Johnson. She graduated from Freeborn High School in May 1948. After graduation she worked at Wilson & Co. in Albert Lea. On Feb. 9, 1952, she was united in marriage to Marshall Bendixen at the Hartland Lutheran Church. Together they raised two daughters, Marsha and Diane.

Helen worked at Security State Bank for 33 years, retiring in April 1995. She was a member of Grace Lutheran in Albert Lea since 1958. She spent time as a Sunday School teacher, was a church circle member, part of the Altar Guild, Grace Seniors and the Naeve Hospital Auxiliary. She loved Twin’s baseball, knitting, bridge club, traveling, Interstate sewing club and chocolate. She was famous with her grandchildren for her banana bread.

Helen is survived by her daughters, Marsha Rafdal of Albert Lea and Diane (Thomas) Natzel of Dassel; grandchildren, Joshua (Stacy) Natzel of Minneapolis, Dustin Rafdal (Kim Hansen) of Albert Lea, Bethany Natzel of Denver, Colo., Brooke (Steve) Moehrle of Minneapolis and Nicole Rafdal (Sascha Hansen) of St. Cloud; great-grandchildren, Mason and Gavin Rafdal and Jacob, Lucy and Mary Bea Natzel; sister, Charlotte Rice of Beloit, Wis.; brother, Donald (Louise) Johnson of Albert Lea; brother-in-law, Paul (Betty) Bendixen of Marion, Iowa; former son-in-law, Steve Rafdal of Albert Lea; and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Oscar and Mabel; husband Marshall Bendixen; brother-in-law, Alton Rice; and parents in law, Fred and Nellie Bendixen.

Helen was a treasure and loved by all whose life she touched.