Helen Palmere Trenhaile

Helen Palmere Helgren Trenhaile passed away on April 9, 2025, at the Lutheran Retirement Home, Northwood, Iowa at the age of 94. Helen was born April 29,1930, in Emmons, Minnesota to Palmer Helgren and Alice (Hoversten) Helgren. Helen was baptized next to her father’s casket when she was ten days old. Helen’s mother and her two older brothers moved to Thompson, Iowa. Helen was active in Girl Scouts throughout her educational years. In 1948 Helen graduated from Thompson High School where she participated in various musical activities and enjoyed music and singing the rest of her life.

Helen married Clark Trenhaile on November 12,1948, and from this union five children were born. The family lived and farmed southeast of Northwood for 32 years. In 1980, Clark and Helen built a home in Northwood and lived there for 30 years. Helen was an active farm wife; sewing the families clothing, cooking for her family and hired men, pulling weeds from the soybean fields, and in later years participated in hauling grain and plowing fields. Helen had a knack for taking a hobby and turning it into a profitable business. Over the years she made mints, candles, corsages for weddings, and reupholstered furniture. With her sister-in-law, Judy Trenhaile, they started decorating cakes for all occasions and catered food for special events. Later years, Helen and Clark created wood painted crafts to give and sell. Helen and Clark traveled throughout the United States and toured Australia and New Zealand. Helen was active in her church throughout her life, hosting and preparing delicious meals for family, and enjoyed tending her flower gardens. Helen’s greatest joy was her children and grandchildren.

Helen is survived by her children, Carolynn (Randy) Meyer, Wayne (Barb) Trenhaile, Eric (Patti) Trenhaile, Holly (Kurt) Watson; son-in-law, Jerry Jaspers; 17 grandchildren; 34 great grandchildren; 1 great-great grandchild; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Earl and Judy Trenhaile, and many nieces and nephews.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Clark; daughter, Koralee Jaspers; grandchildren, Kira and Ryan Meyer, Katie Trenhaile; great grandchild, Kanaan Meyer; her parents, her stepfather A.B. Myhr; brothers and sisters-in-law, Ernest and Beverly Helgren, Marvin and Kathryn Helgren; stepsister, Alpha Vial; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Dale and Marie Trenhaile, and Irene and Orville Trytten.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the First Lutheran Church in Northwood. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will follow at Sunset Rest Cemetery in Northwood.

Helen’s family would like to thank the Lutheran Retirement Home for being her caring and loving family for her last six years and St. Croix Hospice for additional comfort care in her final months.

Memorials may be given to the First Lutheran Church Sunday School Program or Northwood Kensett High School program Family and Consumer Sciences.

Hoff Celebrations – Sites Memorial Chapel of Northwood is assisting the family with arrangements.