Helen Ewald

Helen Arleen Ewald, age 91, of Curtis, passed away Sunday, May 18, 2014 at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte.

Helen was born August 15, 1922, in Frontier County, to Carl and Sigrid (Jepsen) Nelsen. After graduating from UNSA in 1940, she earned a teaching certificate from Kearney Teachers College and taught in two rural county schools. On June 9, 1941, at Oberlin, Kansas, Helen married Jim Ewald and they farmed and raised their six children in Lincoln County north of Curtis. In addition to crops, irrigation, and livestock, Helen raised and sold chickens and eggs and shared the abundance of large gardens with family and friends. Helen will be remembered by many for her work ethic, honesty, hospitality, and generosity. The farm remained her home until she moved to Curtis in 2006. Helen then had more time to devote to reading, and embroidery, sharing books with friends and making sure each of her grandchildren had a needlework pillow case and a supply of strawberry jam. She had been an active member of Ebenezer Lutheran Church and was a current member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Curtis.

Survivors include a daughter-in-law, Nelda Ewald, Daytona Beach, Florida; four daughters, Karen (Jerry) Lehman, Farnam, Ann (Pat) Hagan, Smithfield, Jo Ellen (Rod) Jurgens, Lamar, Missouri, Mary (Dennis) Peterson, Bertrand; a son, Lynn (Patty) Ewald, Curtis, a nephew, Michael Lehman, North Platte; a dear friend, Carol McKennon, Curtis; 19 grandchildren; and thirty-seven great-grandchildren. Helen was looking forward to welcoming another great-granddaughter to the family in June.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Jim in 1979; a son, Bill, in 1997, and her sister, Marjorie Lehman in 2006.


Visitation will be held at Blase-Wetzel-Strauser Memorial Chapel, Curtis, Nebraska; Monday, May 19, 2014 3:00 pm - 8:00 pm.

Services will be held at St. John's Lutheran Church - Curtis, Tuesday, May 20, 2014 at 1:00 pm with Rev. Derrick Brown officiating.

Interment will follow in the Curtis Cemetery, Curtis, Nebraska.

Memorials may be given to the St. John's Lutheran Church, 504 Wallace Curtis, NE 69025 or Frontier County Library.