Helen (Anton) Beaudoin, 88, was called home by our Heavenly Father on Saturday, February 8, 2014. Mass of Christian burial will be at 11:00 a.m. Friday, February 14, 2014 at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson with Fr. Michael Harver, SSPX as celebrant. Interment will take place at a later date at St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Dickinson. Visitation will be from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. with rosary to follow on Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Friday.
Helen was born on April 1, 1925, to Christ K. and Katherine (Blasy) Anton in Lefor. The third of fourteen children, she was raised on a farm and attended a country school in the Lefor area. Growing up during the Great Depression, Helen developed a character of hard work and determination for the tasks of life. She learned all the homemaking skills at a young age that prepared her for future motherhood.
Helen was introduced to Wallace E. Beaudoin in 1944, and while Wallace served in the military during WWII, Helen moved to Dickinson and worked for a family as a caregiver. Later, she worked at Montgomery Wards as a bookkeeper.
On May 1, 1946, Helen married Wallace Beaudoin at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, in Dickinson. Together for 67 years, they had six children by birth and one child by miscarriage. She was a skilled seamstress, gardener, and homemaker. Her memorable Sunday chicken recipe is now a tradition and cooked by all of her children. Helen planted hundreds of trees during her lifetime at the five homes they built. She also completed all the finishing work.
Above all, she knew the purpose of life; to know, to love, and to serve the Lord, to be eternally happy with Him in Heaven. This, she tried to obtain by living her Catholic faith. She was concerned for the salvation of souls. Helen was passionate and rallied for laws protecting life from conception to natural death.
Helen is survived by her husband, Wallace E. Beaudoin, six children: Dennis, Dickinson; Rick (Joyce), Dickinson; Marla Johnson, Chetek, Wis.; Judy (Jeff) Helfenstein, San Antonio, Texas; Jolene (Warren) Pietsch, Minot; and Tim Beaudoin, Dickinson. Helen is also survived by 17 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren, sisters: Bertha Anton, Appolonia (Tony) Fichter, Mary Ann (Donald) Chantry, Cathleen (Victor) Oukrop, and brothers: George (Hattie) Anton and Donald (Loretta) Anton.
Preceded in death by her parents, daughter-in-law Delores (Dennis) Beaudoin, four sisters; Eleanor Beaudoin, Anna Helfrich, Pauline Fichter, Jeanette Mischel; and brothers, Albert, Edward and Martin Anton.
Memorials may be made to North Dakota Life League, 1336 25th Avenue South, Suite 207, Fargo ND 58103, (701) 793-8230.
