Helen Fitz

Helen Fitz, 76, of Melbourne, Iowa, passed away on Thursday, September 14, 2017 at the Iowa River Hospice Home in Marshalltown, Iowa. Born in 1940 at Marshalltown, Helen was born of Mickey Donaldson and Irene (Coulter) Bunting. She was raised in and graduated from the Marshalltown School District. Helen married James B. Fitz (Jim) in the fall of 1959 in Marshalltown. They had four children. She studied and worked as hard at her art as she did to provide great food, a clean home and a thousand other tasks it takes to be a homemaker for six people. Helen often took classes at Fisher Community Center and was a portrait painter using oils, acrylics and watercolor. She enjoyed woodcarving and had some pieces shown at the New York Folk Art Museum in NYC. She also excelled painting ceramics and restoring antique furniture. Helen was an avid garage saler, looking for antique jewelry and furniture to restore and sell. In addition, she enjoyed spending time visiting with family and friends, reading, cooking and sewing. She was well known for her casseroles, beef stew, chocolate chip cookies, bread, pecan rolls, cranberry salad and many other dishes. Left to cherish Helens memory are her children: Michael Fitz, Margaret Nelson, Eric (Pam) Fitz, and Mary Fitz; grandchildren: Grant (Emily) Fitz, Aaron Fitz, Benjamin (Eliza) Fitz, Tom Nelson, Cathy Nelson, Elliott Fitz, Lauren Supak and Miranda Supak; great-grandson, James Richard Fitz; and two brothers, Dan (Penny) Bunting and David (Susan) Donaldson along with several nieces and nephews. On Thursday she rejoined her husband, Jim Fitz, her mother Irene, stepfather Don Bunting, and younger brother Andrew. Public visitation for Helen will be held on Monday, September 18, 2017 from 5:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home, where her family will be present to greet friends. Memorial contributions may be directed in Helens name to her family who will be designating between Iowa River Hospice Home and the Fisher Community Center art programs. For further information or to send a condolence please visit www.mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234. Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown is caring for Helen and her family.