Helen Halvorson, 83, died on Thursday, March 1, 2007 at Thief River Care Center in Thief River Falls, MN.

Helen Mavis Nygaard was born on March 6, 1923 to Henry and Louise (Severinson) Nygaard in Richville, MN, where they owned the Nygaard Brothers Garage. When a tornado destroyed the garage, Helen, age 2, moved with her family to their farm east of Grygla. At the age of 12, Helen spent days mowing hay with horses.

After graduating from Goodridge High School in 1939, she attended Teacher Training in Thief River Falls and taught rural schools near Lake Bronson, Tenstrike, and Mavie. She graduated, cum laude, from Seattle Pacific College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. While attending Seattle Pacific College, she tutored returning World War II veterans in English. She joined the Navy as a WAVE serving as a Pharmacist Mate in New York, at Great Lakes Naval Center in Illinois, and at San Diego Naval Hospital. At the Coronado Naval Air Station she taught navy pilots in the low pressure chamber where they learned how to handle high altitude and extreme cold and sudden drops in air pressure.

At the time of her discharge, she was working in the Surgery Department at Sand Point Naval Air Station in Seattle. After receiving her certification in Medical Technology at General Hospital in Minneapolis, she was employed by the Minnesota Department of Health in Minneapolis. Later she was supervisor at General Hospitals Outpatient Clinic. Next, she was laboratory supervisor at Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar and at Mercy and Northwestern Hospitals in Thief River Falls.

Helen was united in marriage to Earl Halvorson on October 10, 1952 at Thief River Falls, MN and they farmed east of Goodridge.

She attended Bemidji State College and received degrees in English and in Health. During her thirty years of teaching, she taught in Goodridge High School and in Franklin Middle School in Thief River Falls. After her retirement from the teaching and the medical profession, she was a receptionist at the Northwest Medical Center for many years; she was employed at Digi-Key for nine years and was a hostess at the Best Western.

Helen was a member of the Evangelical Free Church in Thief River Falls where she taught Bible School several summers, and also at Faith Lutheran Church in Goodridge.

She was a Commander of American Legion Post 117 and its auxiliary and a member of the Color Guard. An active, energetic person, she enjoyed challenges and variety, also the peaceful rural and wilderness areas---plowing and cultivating with tractors, fun runs, horseback riding, trail rides, wagon trains, skiing, volunteering as a camp ground host in Itasca State Park for several summers, volunteering at the Food Shelf and in the Hospice program. She loved those jobs!

Her 3 grandchildren and her son and daughter-in-law were so very precious and she prayed for them every day and followed their progress in school and sports.

Her husband, Earl, died on April 23, 2003, and Helen moved to Thief River Falls that summer. On February 1, 2007, Helen suffered a severe stroke and the Lord graciously called her home on March 1, 2007 at the age of 83 years, 11 months and 23 days.

She is survived by her son, Robert, daughter-in-law, Jean of Goodridge, MN, three grandchildren, Chancey and wife, Laura of Grand Forks, ND, Cole, and Amy of Goodridge, MN; two sisters, Ida Paulson of Fargo and Edna Paulson of Chaska; two sisters-in-law, Eloise Halvorson of Nashwauk and Esther Nygaard of Duluth. Preceding her in death were her husband Earl, and her siblings, Sigfred, Irvin, and Victor Nygaard, Hilma Larson and Esther Sabo.