Helen E. Greenwalt

Helen E. Greenwalt, 87, of St. Libory, died unexpectedly Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, at her home.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, at St. Libory’s Catholic Church in St. Libory. The Rev. Sidney B. Bruggeman will celebrate the Mass. Burial will be in the parish cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the church with a 7 p.m. parish rosary.

Memorials are suggested to the family for later designation.

Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is assisting the family.

Helen was born on Jan. 6, 1937, near St. Libory, the daughter of Henry B. and Marie M. (Suehlsen) Volkl. She attended country schools in the St. Libory area and later Grand Island Senior High School, where she was a 1956 graduate. 

After graduating from High School, she worked as a telephone operator in Grand Island.

She was united in marriage to Eugene L. Greenwalt on Feb. 8, 1958, at St. Libory.

The couple first lived in Grand Island, where Gene and his brother, Lyle, operated the Skelly Gas Station at Seventh and Eddy Streets for several years and later farmed together in the Cairo and Farwell areas.

In 1963, Helen and Gene moved onto the Greenwalt homestead, where they farmed and operated a dairy until the mid-1980’s. Gene died on Feb. 11, 2017 and Helen continued to live on the farm, the rest of her life.

She was a member of St. Libory’s Catholic Church, its CCW and was a religious education teacher. She was a longtime leader of the St. Libory Sandhillers 4-H Club, she belonged to the Cleveland Social Club and the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 241 of Dannebrog.

She enjoyed playing cards, gardening, traveling with Gene, visiting with family and friends, golfing and loved her grandchildren dearly.

She is survived by her three daughters and sons-in-law, Karen and Tony Grotzky of Grand Island, Janet and Clark Ritz of St. Libory, and Susan and Jerry Milner of Grand Island; eight grandchildren, Jeremy and Raelynn Grotzky, Michelle and Larry Gydesen, Rachel and Jon Wade, Brandon and Jessica Grotzky, Kelsey and John Jaeschke, Jordan Ritz, Rhett Milner and Mollie Milner; and 15 great-grandchildren.

In addition to her husband, Gene, she was preceded in death by her parents; and two brothers, Leo Volkl and Paul Volkl.