Helen E. McDonnell
Aug. 4, 1922 - Sept. 19, 2007

Helen E. McDonnell, 85, of Sterling, died Sept. 19, 2007, in Sterling. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21, at Chaney-Reager Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, at Chaney-Reager Funeral Home with Jon McDonnell officiating. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery.

Helen was born Aug. 4, 1922, to George Waltz and Elizabeth (Webber) Waltz in Lander, Wyo. She moved to Crook with her family, where she received her schooling, graduating from Crook High School in 1940.

On May 19, 1940, she married Larry McDonnell in Crook. The couple farmed in the Crook area until 1945, when Larry was drafted. They then moved where Larry was stationed. In 1946, they bought a farm in Iliff, living there until 1955, when they moved into Iliff and ran the Iliff Lumber Company until 1965.

They then lived in Denver, where they both worked for the Sterling Lumber and Investment Co. until they retired in 1980 and moved back to Sterling.

Helen enjoyed her time with family and traveling with their RV with friends and family. After Larry's death in 1993, she spent five years with her daughter Jo in New Orleans. They were evacuated because of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. She settled back in Sterling, living at Bee Hive Assisted Living.

Helen is survived by her daughters, Connie Charles and husband Ron of Sterling, and Jo Huey of New Orleans; son, Jerry McDonnell and wife Jo of Fort Collins; brother, Henry Waltz of Manhattan, Kan.; 10 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Larry; son Ken; four brothers; and two sisters.