Worthington, MinnesotaÂ
    Helen Mae Thompson, 86, was born on June 11, 1923, in Rush City, MN, the daughter of Sherman and Olga (Paulson) Backe. She spent most of her young life in Stillwater, MN, where she graduated from high school with honors. Helen attended Hamline University in 1941 and met her future husband, Ken, during a dance class. Helen and Ken were married on June 30, 1944, in Stillwater. They moved to Worthington, MN, in 1947. She worked at Heles Supply in Worthington for many years as a bookkeeper. Helen was active in the Trojan Booster Club and was elected to the Trojan Hall of Fame on May 20, 1996. She and Ken shared a love for golf and all sports. She enjoyed riding her bicycle and had a passion for keeping score at the girls and boys basketball games. Helen died on Tuesday, March 30, 2010, at the Sunset Hospice Cottage in Worthington, MN.
    Helen is survived by her husband, Ken of Worthington, MN, and two daughters, Claudia (Dennis) Martens of Bullhead City, AZ and Anne (Lowell) Kutzbach of Valrico, FL; along with seven nieces, two nephews, and two sisters in law and one brother in law.  She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Willard and Glen,twin sister, Margaret, one sister in law, two brothers in law, one nephew and one niece.
    Private family services will be held on Saturday, April 3, 2010, at the Benson Funeral Home Chapel in Worthington, MN, with Rev. James Krapf officiating. Burial will be in the Worthington Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Casket bearers will be Bill Potts, Don Kuiper, Dennis Hale, Gary Koster, Rueben Svingen and Herman Hinders.
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Visitation will be held on Friday, April 2, 2010, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the Benson Funeral Home in Worthington, MN.Â
Memorials are preferred to the Manna Food Pantry at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Worthington.
