Helen M. Andes Obituary (1926 - 2013)

Helen M Andes, 87, of Normal, died at 11:40 pm on Sunday, September 22, 2013, at her home, 9 weeks after being diagnosed with Glioblastoma multiforme, a form of brain cancer. rnrnrnA memorial mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, September 26, 2013 at Epiphany Catholic Church, Normal. TheRev. Daniel Giffordwill officiate. Cremation rites have been accorded. Interment will be at 2:00 p.m. on Friday at St. Mary"s Cemetery, Bloomington. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday at Carmody-Flynn Williamsburg Funeral Home, Bloomington, where the rosary will be recited at 6:45 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Humane Society of Central Illinois or Epiphany Catholic Church, Normal. To express condolences online, please visit www.carmodyflynn.comrnrnShe was born on February 24, 1926 in Escanaba, MI, daughter of Eugene H. and Florence M. Cossette Noblet. She married Thomas M. Cunningham in 1949 in Gladstone, MI, he preceded her in death in 1952. She then married James A. Andes in 1955 in Bloomington, he preceded her in death in 1991. She was also preceded in death by one brother, Eugene Noblet.Surviving are four children, Michael (Marilyn) Cunningham of Chassell, MI, Ellen (E. Charles) Breithaupt of Hortonville, WI, Susan (Larry) Sweeney of Normal and Becky (Tom) Haas of Bloomington and six grandchildren, Erica Cunningham of San Diego, CA, Erin (Pete) Kuhn of St. Paul, MN, Lauren Breithaupt of Chicago, Cpl. James Breithaupt, USMC of San Diego, CA, Michael Haas of Phoenix, AZ and Andrew James Haas, Chicago.Helen attended St. Joseph Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1948. After graduation, she first worked as a private duty nurse and later worked as a general duty nurse at OSF St. Joseph Hospital. She retired from State Farm Insurance Company in 1988, after 28 years, where she worked as an Occupation Health Nurse. She was also a member of the Sixth District Nurses Association.Helen never met a bridge game she didn"t like, and often vowed to keep playing bridge until she learned how. She enjoyed attending local plays and the State Farm dinners at the Park, and loved Scrabble, crossword puzzles and reading. However, her main joy was her family, and she attended any event her grandchildren participated in, and was always there for her family. She continued to bake her famous "stinkin" sugar cookies for many occasions. For the last seven years, Mother made arrangements to rent a house in Michigan or Wisconsin for a week in the summer, and as many family members that could would pile in. There we would eat, boat, read, do jigsaw puzzles, tell lies, play games and watch movies " always with Mother functioning as the matriarch to us all. The week in Wisconsin in early July 2013 will be sweetest, as that was Mother"s last trip " she was diagnosed one week later.