Helen Irene Ewing

Helen Ewing – Helen Irene Ewing, resident of the Memory Care Unit at Covenant Living of Golden Valley, MN, passed away on August 29, 2020 at the age of 89. A daughter of Henry and Florence (Fredrick) Alexander, Helen was born on January 23, 1931 at Baraboo, WI. Her formal education began in a one-room school. Helen graduated from Baraboo High School as valedictorian of the Class of 1948. Post high school, she attended the Sauk County Normal School in Reedsburg, WI and completed teacher training in 1950. Her first teaching position was a one-room school where she taught all eight grades. She married George Ewing on March 1, 1952 at Evansville, WI. After George returned home from a second tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, they moved to Evansville. Helen taught school and began working towards a bachelor’s degree by taking classes at Wisconsin State College-Whitewater, while George worked on his degree at the University of Wisconsin. In 1958 George accepted an engineering position with General Mills in Minneapolis, and the couple moved to the Twin Cities, which would be their home for the rest of their lives. Helen’s first teaching position in Minnesota was in Roseville. The remainder of her teaching career was in the Hopkins School District teaching at Meadowbrook School where she started as a third-grade teacher. In 1962, Helen earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education at Wisconsin State College-River Falls. Continuing her education, she received a license in Remedial Reading and became the Remedial Reading teacher at Meadowbrook. Through even further education, Helen became licensed as a Learning Disabilities teacher. At the end of her thirty-year tenure with the Hopkins District, Helen had become Meadowbrook’s resource teacher, providing special instruction and support to children struggling with learning and behavioral problems. At her retirement in 1988, Helen had spent 38 years in the education field, eight years in Wisconsin and 30 years in Minnesota. As an educator, Helen was highly respected by her peers and a loving and compassionate teacher to her students, always going the extra distance to help them find success. In retirement, Helen was always there to help family when needed. She loved taking care of her great nieces and great nephews, always bringing special activities to share with them. She especially enjoyed pet sitting with Sammy the dog. Helen did volunteer work at their church and at the Covenant Village. She worked in the Covenant library. She also volunteered helping maintain the beautiful Covenant grounds and the bird feeding stations for all residents to enjoy. Helen underwent training to become a Stephen Minister in order to help others who needed support during difficult times. Helen loved reading, gardening, flowers, photography, birds, popcorn, nuts, and chocolate, especially homemade nut goodies. Cats and squirrels not so much. As the second child in a family of eight, Helen was responsible for helping take care of her younger siblings. To many, she became their second mother. To her extended family, Helen was the family matriarch, always willing to share her knowledge and wisdom when her counsel was sought, and sometimes when it wasn’t. Never having had children of her own, Helen became a surrogate grandmother to many of her nieces and nephews. Helen was preceded in death by her husband, George in 2015, her parents, one sister, a nephew, and a great nephew. She will be greatly missed by her surviving 5 sisters: Lorraine Chojnacki, Milwaukee; Audrey (Dick) Skinner, Reedsburg; Marjorie Alexander, Denver, CO; Linda Alexander and Diane (David) Pietenpol, both of Green Bay; and her only brother, Bob (Liz) Alexander, Greeley, CO; many nephews and nieces, and other extended family. A private service for the family will be held at the time of committal. Burial will be in Rock Hill Cemetery, Baraboo, Wisconsin. Memorials may be sent in Helen’s name to the Hopkins Education Foundation (Suite 243, 1001 Highway 7, Hopkins, MN 55305) or Covenant Living Golden Valley Benevolent Care Fund (Online contributions: www.covlivinggoldenvalley.org. Click on “Giving” or make check payable to CLGV Benevolent Care, Attn: Martha West, 5800 St. Croix Avenue N, Golden Valley, MN 55422).

Tributes

Helen Irene Ewing

January 23, 1931 - August 29, 2020

Tributes

Helen Irene Ewing

January 23, 1931 - August 29, 2020

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