Helen Allen

Helen Allen, 83, of the Iowa Veterans Home, formerly of Slater, Ames and Newton, died Tuesday afternoon, February 13th, at the Marshalltown Medical and Surgical Center. Funeral services and a celebration of her life will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, February 17th, at the Iowa Veterans Home Chapel with Angela Doty, chaplain of the IVH officiating. Friends may call at the IVH Chapel one-hour prior to the services. Cremation rites will follow with inurnment in the Newton Union Cemetery at a later date. For condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com. The Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Helen and her family. Born Helen Bates on May 8th, 1923, in Kellogg, Iowa, she was the daughter of Alvie and Grace (Cooper) Bates. She graduated from the Kellogg High School. In 1944, she was united in marriage to Warren Emery Mike Cormicle. He passed away suddenly at the age of 34 in 1957. In 1963, she was united in marriage to Robert Allen in Omaha. Helen resided in the Newton, Slater and Ames communities all of her married life until moving to the Iowa Veterans home in 1999. Left to mourn her loss are her daughters: Tina (John) Allen of Des Moines, Joni (Russ) Cormicle-Richards of Marshalltown, Judith (Fred) Peters of Quincy, IL., and Janice (the late Gene) Tesch of Altoona, step- sons Doug and Dennis Beckman, grandchildren and their families: Robert (Tammy) Holveck, Laura and Bobby in Florida, Shelly (Mike) Benge, Sammy and Casey and Tamirra Hammond of Quincy, IL., Jason (Michelle) Moore of LeMars, Iowa, Alex and Courtney Hermanson of Des Moines, Brooke Richards, Alex Flowers and Caroline Richards, her brother Ralph Bates of Newton and numerous friends and her IVH family. In death she has rejoined her parents, her husbands, brothers Bob and Glen Bates and granddaughter Jacqueline.