Submitted by: Dan Rich
May 30, 1921 - June 24, 2004
Helen Irene Arndt passed away following a heart attack on Thursday, June 24, in the Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, South Bend, Ind. She was 83 years old.
Helen was born in Huntington, Ind., to Mary Genevieve (Shoemaker) Smith and William Rolland Smith.
She is survived by three daughters, Janice (Doug) Cowen of South Bend, Saundra (Jack) Willey of Plainfield, Ind., and Judith (Rex) Critchlow of Terre Haute, Ind.; 11 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by one brother, Russell Smith of Leonard, Mich., formerly of Niles, Mich.; and by two sisters, Madalene (Albert) Allison of South Bend and Vivian (Maurice) Yergeau of Niles.
Helen was a true member of the "Greatest Generation." She believed in standing on your own two feet and helping out when a neighbor, friend or family member needs a helping hand. She lived by the rule that no matter how little you have there is always enough to share with someone else. There are many stories told of her generosity. Like her mother, sisters and friends, she learned to cook great meals on a shoestring budget. They picked and canned fresh produce as it came to harvest, and were extraordinary pie bakers. Helen's kitchen was a meeting place for family and friends. There was always a pot of coffee brewing and the air was filled with smells of her famous Swiss steak. She always made enough to feed the folks who "just happened to drop by."
She was good-looking and had a great sense of humor. She was an avid bingo player, and watch out if you felt like playing a couple hands of poker with her. She belonged to the Royal Order of the Moose, National Foundation of Grandmothers of America and the V.F.W. Auxiliary, all of Terre Haute. She used her caring qualities in her work in the home-care nursing field.
Helen's daughter, Judy, cared for her and protected her for many years in Judy's home in Terre Haute. On Jan. 1, 2004, she returned to South Bend and spent her remaining days at the home of her daughter, Jan. She overcame many obstacles in her life, but the beast of dementia stalked her and eventually she could not recognize the faces of her beloved family. But mom, we remember it all. We remember it for you. Love, Jan, Sandy, Judy, and family.
Friends and family will gather to swap stories, hug each other, and say a prayer today, July 3, at 1 p.m. in the Palmer Funeral Home-River Park, 2528 Mishawaka Ave., South Bend.