Helen A. Carlson

August 29, 1925 - July 24, 2006

Helen A. Carlson, 80, of 418 South Cedar Street in Boone, passed away at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday morning, July 21, 2006. She was born August 29, 1925 in Stanhope, Iowa the daughter of Clifford and Muriel (Wills) Neese. On December 1, 1945, she married Bayard Williams at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. Bayard passed away in 1962. On April 18, 1964, Helen married Miles Carlson at the Evangelical Free Church in Ft. Dodge, Iowa. She graduated from Stanhope High School. Helen was a bank teller at Boone State Bank until 1955 when she and her husband, Bayard, moved to Belden, Nebraska where she was employed at the First National Bank. After the death of her husband, Helen returned to Boone in 1963, where she once again worked for Boone State Bank. Following her marriage to Miles Carlson, she helped her husband manage Carlson’s Soft Water, which she co-owned. Helen enjoyed cooking, reading, entertaining guests and for over 32 years, wintered in southern Texas. She was a member of the First Evangelical Free Church. She served on the Resident Advocate Committee at the Evangelical Free Church Home in Boone from 1987 to 2005, and on the Pilot Mound Development Corporation while living in Pilot Mound. Helen loved the Lord and enjoyed serving His church by being involved in several capacities including the Missionary Board and AWANAS. She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Bayard in 1962 and Miles in 1985; 1 step-daughter Delores Raulston; 2 brothers Dale Neese and Darrel Neese; 1 sister Ann Doherty, and 1 step-great-grandson Jason. Survivors include 1 son, Gregg (Cheryl) Williams of Boone, Iowa; 2 step-daughters Eleanor Sturtz of Prairie City, Iowa, and Mavis (Verle) Swanson of Boone; 1 sister, Carol Wightman of Ames; former son-in-law, Bud Raulston of Texas; 10 grandchildren Brad Williams and Brian Williams both of Boone, Rick Raulston of Boone, Ruth Ann Raulston of Polk City, Randy (Roxy) Raulston of Boone, Shelly (Mike) Murphy of Missouri, Craig (Wendy) Sturtz of Blue Grass, Iowa, Kristi (Denny) Buyert of Prairie City, Iowa, Gary (Wendy) Swanson of Boone, Karla (Jason) Becker of Des Moines; 12 great-grandchildren; 3 great-great-grandchildren; along with several nieces and nephews. Services will be held Tuesday morning, July 25th at 11:00 a.m. at the First Evangelical Free Church in Boone, Iowa with Pastor Steve Gehman officiating. Interment will be in the Homewood Cemetery north of Ellsworth, Iowa. Friends may call at the Stark-Welin Chapel in Boone on Monday evening from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and Tuesday morning at the First Evangelical Free Church from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service. The family will be present at the Stark-Welin Chapel in Boone on Monday evening from 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. to greet friends. Memorials may be given to the First Evangelical Free Church in Boone.