Helen May Landsteiner Gilbertson

Helen May Landsteiner Gilbertson passed into the arms of her loving savior on October 27, 2018. Helen was born January 24, 1930, to Conrad and Estelle Landsteiner at their farm near Armstrong, Ia., the 3rd of 8 children. While still a baby she moved to Tenhassen Township (Martin County, Minnesota). She married the love of her life, D.D. ‘Gil’ Gilbertson in 1949. Since 1976 she divided her time between Des Moines, Iowa and Fairmont, Minnesota.

Helen was a past officer of the Women’s VFW Auxiliary and a member of the Precision Marching Drill Team and the Disabled American Veteran’s Auxiliary. She was an accomplished seamstress, including upholstery and quilting, and was a member of the quilting group at Grace Church. She enjoyed painting and received a certificate of completion from an art institute following her regular schooling. She was a member of St. John’s Vianney Church in Fairmont and All Saints’ Catholic Church in Des Moines.
Helen and her husband owned and managed the Hall Lake Cabins in Fairmont from 1976 until the 1990’s. Her favorite things included spending time with friends and family.

Helen is survived by daughters, Linda (Howard) Gilbertson Wood and Jeanne (Gary) Lester as well as 5 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren and additional step grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren. She is also survived by brothers and sisters Vincent (Anna Marie) Landsteiner, Frank Landsteiner, and David (Bonnie) Landsteiner, Anna May Sellner and Lorraine Templin and sister-in-law Carol Landsteiner. She was pre-deceased by her two precious baby boys, Russell John Gilbertson and Frank Dean Gilbertson, sister, Berniece Welte; brother, Kenneth Landsteiner, brothers- in- law Don Welte, John Sellner and Tony Templin, sister-in-law Jan Landsteiner, and parents Conrad and Estelle Landsteiner.

Special thank you to all of the medical staff who assisted Helen including those at Luther Park, Vintage Hills, Union Park Nursing and especially those who cared for her during her last days at Glen Oaks Alzheimer’s Care Center and Kindred Hospice.

The family will be available for visitation from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Friday, November 2 at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street, Des Moines. Graveside services will be at 1:00 PM on Saturday, November 3, 2018 at Fairview Memorial Park, in Fairmont, MN. Following the burial Helen’s family will welcome guests at a reception in Helen’s memory at the Lakeview Funeral Home, 205 Albion Avenue also in Fairmont.

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