Helen M. Schwanke O'Neill
Dec. 28, 1917 - Dec. 12, 2005
OLIVIA -- Helen Marie Schwanke O'Neill, 87, of Olivia died Monday at the Olivia Healthcare Center.
The service will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Faith United Methodist Church in Olivia. Burial will be at the Olivia Cemetery.
Visitation will be for one hour prior to the service at the church. Arrangements are with Dirks-Blem Funeral Service of Olivia.
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She was born Dec. 28, 1917, in Waubay, S.D., to Even and Gusta (Johnson) Mikkelson. She grew up in Waubay on the family farm.
She married Clifford Schwanke on Aug. 17, 1938, in Waubay. They lived on a farm north of Olivia. Clifford died in 1966.
She married Vernon O'Neill on July 16, 1971. He died in 1972, and she moved into Olivia. She was a farm wife and worked at Wingate's for many years. She became a resident of Bird Island Manor due to failing health and had been a current resident of Olivia Healthcare Center.
She was a member of the E.U.B. Church and later Faith United Methodist Church and the UMW.
She is survived by her daughters: Jan (and Bob) Kunkel of Bloomington, Lois Purrington of Olivia; son-in-law: Dennis Loberg of Duluth; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husbands; daughter: Joyce Loberg; son-in-law: Dwight Purrington; two brothers and one sister.
