Helen Arlene (Bernet) Burge, 93, of the Olin/Mechanicsville area, formerly of Lisbon, passed away Thursday, Aug. 22. Helen’s Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 29, and her funeral at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 30, all at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services in Mount Vernon. The burial will be at the Lisbon Cemetery.
Helen was born Nov. 21, 1930, on a farm in Cedar County, located south of Rochester, that was owned by her maternal Grandfather Thomas Tuttle. She was the daughter of Ernest and Margaret (Tuttle) Bernet and was the oldest of three children.
She began her education in a small country school (Oakhill) south of Rochester and then attended Coon Creek School in rural Lisbon area and in 1948 she graduated from Lisbon High School.
On Feb. 18, 1950, she was united in marriage to Ralph W. Burge at the country home of her parents NE of Mechanicsville where they ended up living/farming the majority of their lives and were blessed to share 63 years together. One daughter Bonnie was born to this union.
Together Ralph and Helen farmed near Lisbon before moving to her parents farm in Jones County in 1958. They enjoyed many great years of crop & livestock farm- ing there until, due to health problems, they were forced to cut back. They then continued to enjoy gardening and their goat and chicken projects. Helen enjoyed doing crafts, as well as cooking, and particularly baking cookies, and making her special fudge for others.
She was a member of the Olin St. Paul United Methodist Church. She organized “The Olin Ambulance Boosters” and was the president for twenty years.
Helen loved all the things this earth could produce from everything in the garden, to the sweet corn patch, flowers, animals, crops and more. Many neighbors, family and loved ones reaped the rewards of that hard work and labor with the vegetables, watermelon, muskmelon, corn, eggs, fudge, popcorn balls and baked goods that she shared with everyone. She may never have had a lot, but she always made sure that everyone else had all she could give. Over the years together they opened their home and hearts to many and the life lessons that were learned, shared and the hard work ethic taught will live on for generations to come. Above all her family was the most important thing to her, there is nothing she wouldn’t do for them and always made them feel special and loved.
Helen is survived by her daughter, Bonnie (Ron) Cook of Mechanicsville; granddaughter, Kellie (Jason) Arduser, Monticello; great-grandchildren, Kyle and Kayla Arduser both of Monticello; many nieces, nephews, and cousins; and all the boys, who over the years helped on the farm. Helen was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brothers, Harold “Skip” Bernet, and Glenn Bernet; in-laws, Roy and Clara Burge; and sisters-in-law, Mabel Simon, Hilda Minor, and Maxine Walton, their husbands and two nephews, Gary Walton & Sam Minor.
Helen and her family would like to say a very special thank you to her personal in-home care workers for their dedication and care over the years. Your care, compassion and friendships meant so much to all of us and can not be measured.