Helen June Busse
Helen June Busse of Dorchester passed away early in the morning of Sept. 21, 2024 at Aspirus Medford Hospital. Born June 13, 1937 in the town of Holton, she was the second of five children born to Alvin V. “Pete” Blazel and Elizabeth B. “Betty” Koenings-Blazel. She was baptized at St. Louis Catholic Church by Father Weller and attended St. Louis Catholic grade school and Dorchester High School. It was there in 1952 that she met Ron. She graduated in 1955 and went to work at Allstate Insurance in Milwaukee. In June 1956, Ron returned home from the Marines and they were engaged. A few months later, Helen went to work for Employers Mutual in Wausau. In Nov. of 1957, Ron purchased the first farm and they were married on Feb. 20, 1958. Together in 1960, they got the family farm where they would raise their eight children. They farmed for 43 years and in 2000 they sold the cows and rented the land. Helen went to work for Comforts of Home, Colonial/DeAngelis and TLC and retired in 2008 at the age of 72.
Helen’s most prized possession was her PFAFF sewing machine. For decades, after everyone went to sleep, she spent endless hours patching, converting flour sacks into dish towels, and adult clothes into things such as dresses for weddings, church dresses, and long centennial dresses. She once made a beautiful gown for herself with red velvet.
She enjoyed music, dancing, sewing, baking, donating her time to the PTO and, later in life, doing home care for the elderly and singing in the church choir. Helen loved to cook for large groups; when their machine shed was raised by neighbors and friends she cooked for the work crew and helped out by asking, “What can I do?” She led many events at church
1937-2024
and even insisted on cooking the meal for her 50th anniversary. She cherished cooking for the holidays and loved to can the family favorite “Russian dill pickles.” Her baking specialties were poppy seed tort and prune kringle. She loved to sing duets with Ron while they milked the cows, performing like they did in high school. She was part of the midnight Mass choir and very seriously encouraged her family to join in whenever possible.
After her son, Rick, passed, she began collecting beautiful porcelain dolls. When all of her children left home she wanted to display the collection around her home for everyone to see. When Ron passed, she spent her days compiling her photos in order of life events and displaying them around the home; she was very proud of the life she had lived and the lives of her family.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Ron; her son, Rick; brothers, Alvin Jr. and James; and great-granddaughter, Leela Row.
Helen is survived by seven children, Vicky Ninneman of Wausau, Kathy (Dave) Parde of Weston, Becky Heser of Medford, Sandi (Brad) Hattlestad of Mosinee, Randy (Sandy) Busse of Curtiss, Greg of Marshfield, Connie (Russell) Merrill of Benzonia, Mich.; a sister, Louise Brill; a brother, Dennis (Judy) Blazel; 27 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren with one on the way; and many nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024 at St. Louis Catholic Church in Dorchester. Father Keith Kitzhaber will officiate. Interment to follow at the Dorchester Memorial Cemetery. Family and friends are welcome from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4. The Rosary will be said at 8 p.m. at the Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home in Abbotsford and from 10 a.m. until time of service Saturday at the church. Live stream will be available for those unable to attend on the Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home Facebook page or after the service anytime on Facebook or the website.
Friends may send online condolences to www. maurinaschillingfuneralhome.com
Paid Obituary 158702
