Helen Joyce Burger passed away Sunday, March 17, 2024, at the age of 89 after a brief illness.
She was born Oct. 24, 1934, at the home she was raised in near California, Missouri, to Henry and Amanda Schenewerk. She was the youngest of nine children: all girls. Helen attended school and graduated in 1953 from California High School in California, Missouri.
On July 16, 1954, Helen and James Burger were wed in California, Missouri, and made their home in Clatonia. From this union, they had four children: Donna Garrison (Steve), Vicky Sand (Gordon), Judy Kontor (Keith), and Robert Burger (Carrie). She has 12 grandchildren and 32 great grandchildren.
Helen was a stay-at-home mother when their children were young and after they were older, she went to work for Russell Stover’s Chocolates in Lincoln for three years. She was later employed by Farmland in Crete. In 1990, at the age of 55, Helen retired from Farmland. In 1998, Helen and James moved to Wilber,
Helen enjoyed spending time with James riding their golf cart around the town in Wilber, going to coffee in the morning with friends, gardening, watching wrestling, football (go Chiefs) and baseball (go Royals), cross-stitching quilt blocks (she made numerous blankets for family members), and most importantly, spending time with her family and friends.
Helen in preceded in death by her husband, James; her parents, Henry and Amanda Schenewerk; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Henry and Grace Burger; her eight older sisters, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law. A special thanks to the Wilber Care Center and Cottonwood Hospice for their care and assistance, you will always have a special place in the family’s hearts for the care you provided to Helen.
The funeral service will be Thursday, March 21, at 10:30 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, Clatonia. Visitation will be Wednesday, from 5 – 7 p.m. at Kuncl Funeral Home in Wilber. In lieu of plants/flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the family for a designated cause to be determined at a later date. Arrangements by Kuncl Funeral Home in Wilber.
