Obituary of Helen Zavadil

Zavadil, Helen

Helen Zavadil, age 92 of Yankton, SD passed away on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 at Avera Sister James Care Center in Yankton.

Pallbearers will be Terry Zavadil, Steve Zavadil, Patrick Zavadil, Rory Gallagher, Duncan Gallagher, and Mitchell Kopecky.

Helen was born May 10, 1925 to Charles Huntley and Agnes (Wierrichoski) in Yankton and was baptized and confirmed at Yankton Sacred Heart Catholic Church. She grew up in Yankton and attended Sacred Heart Catholic Grade School and graduated from Yankton Public High School in 1943.

She lived and worked in Yankton at the local Dime Store until she married Donald Zavadil at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Menominee, Nebraska July 10, 1950. Helen was a dedicated mother and wife consistently putting the needs of her family and community ahead of own. She and Donald made their home on a 240 acre farm near Crofton, Nebraska.  Helen enjoyed helping with the farm work, gardening and canning and raising chickens. She was a loving and caring wife, mother and grandmother raising her family of six children, seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren.  Helen possessed a quiet and unassuming presence that put others at ease. Helen was a dedicated Catholic whose faith in her Lord, Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary was unwavering and shared with her children.

In 1981, Helen and Donald retired from farming and moved to Yankton. She enjoyed part-time seasonal work at Gurneys where friendship and camaraderie were of greater value to Helen than her paycheck. She enjoyed visiting with neighbors, family and friends and had a unique, unassuming way of highlighting the successes of others while deflecting attention to her own. She was an avid walker, boater and an active member of the Catholic Daughters in Yankton.

In 2012, Helen entered the Avera Sister James Care Center, where she remained until the time of her passing. She truly appreciated all of the fine care she received by all of the Center’s staff and took an active role in recreational activities, especially playing Bingo which she greatly enjoyed. Helen also looked forward to the weekend when her two sons would take her on road trips around Nebraska and South Dakota and loved viewing the country scenery.

Helen is survived by her children, Karen, New Berlin, WI; Therese, Phoenix, AZ; Bob (Jeanie), Yankton; Mary, Desoto, KS; Frank (Dawn), Yankton; and Pam (Duncan), Ankeny, IA and her seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren.  Helen was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Donald; five brothers and three sisters.