Helen Louise (Olson) Hughes died on October 20, 2015, eight days before her 100th birthday. She was born on October 28, 1915 in Hoff Township, Pope County, Minnesota to Helena Sofia (Helgeson) Olson and Ole Andrew Olson. She was baptized in West Zion Lutheran Church and confirmed in Immanuel Lutheran Church in Benson. She attended Grade School in Clontarf and graduated from Benson High School in 1933. She married Walter Hughes at the St. Paul Cathedral in St. Paul, Minnesota. They were married for 54 years. She joined the Catholic Faith at St. Andrew's Catholic Church in St. Paul in 1942. Helen and Walter lived in St. Paul, where she worked as a nanny, a waitress at the famed Commodore roof top garden and the neighborhood chauffer. In 1947 they moved their family to a farm northeast of Benson. Helen was an active member of St. Francis Catholic Church, the Ministry of Prayer Group, the Catholic Bishops Guild, the Benson Golf Club, the Benson Hospital Auxiliary, the Council of Catholic Women, and the Farmer's Union Auxiliary. A patient and pragmatic woman who enjoyed quilting, traveling, golfing, dancing, reading, playing cards, sports, keeping abreast of political news, working puzzles and sharing her sense of humor. Helen was an excellent seamstress and an accomplished cook and baker. Every morning she prayed her Rosary for her family, the souls in Purgatory, the sick, the dying, the poor, issues of the day, and the Military. Helen is preceded in death by her husband Walter, her son Michael, grandson Patrick Cashman, great grandson Calvin Vickers, parents Ole and Lena Olson, a brother Justin Olson, sisters Dorothy Bouta, Ella Carney, Susan McMann and Ruth Simberg. She is survived by her sister Inez Larson; daughters Sharon (Jim) Cashman, Patricia (John) Kemper, and Sandra (Alton) Todd; grandchildren Tom (Marty) Cashman, Mike Cashman, Steve (Sarah) Cashman, Colleen (Mark) Sivets, Kelly (Ben) Vickers, Greg (Suzanne) Kemper, Amy Kemper, Tom Kemper, Mark (Joanne) Kemper, Lisa Todd, Sarah (Scottie) Blansett and Andrea (Sean) Harlin; great grandchildren Samantha (John) Schinze, Megan, Kelsey and Olivia Cashman, Chelsea Wyatt, and Sydney Cashman, Blake, Austen, Claire, and Lyla Cashman, Tiffany, Patrick, Evan, and Vanessa Sivets, Lillian, Cash, and Violet Vickers, Kate and Jack Kemper, Erin and Connor Keane, Madison Kemper, Claire, Jake, and Jane Kemper, Catherine and Jackson Blansett, and Tadhgan Harlin. Helen's family is so grateful to the staff at Gabriel House, Murdock, Minnesota for the wonderful and sweet care they gave her.
