Helen Willey

The kind and loving spirit of Helen Willey, age 91, of Marshalltown, fondly known as “Grandma Helen” by many, left this earthly life on the morning of Tuesday, July 27, 2021 at the Iowa River Hospice Home. Funeral Services for Helen will take place on Saturday, August 7 at 11:00 A.M. at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home. She will be laid to rest at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens following the service. A visitation will be held on Friday, August 6 from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. at the funeral home. Memorials may be directed to the family. For condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234. Helen was born in Montour, Iowa on October 30, 1929.  Daughter of Clinton and Sara (Davis) Murty.  She received her education in Montour and Gilman, Iowa.  She graduated from Gilman in the class of 1947.  Helen married the love of her life, Rupert Willey on May 26, 1947 after corresponding during WWII by mail.  They were married in Troy, Kansas and moved to Marshalltown, Iowa. Helen and Rupert had one son, Craig Willey.  They were both active in his schooling and all of his sports.  Craig and his wife, Christy, gave her three beautiful grandchildren, Grant, Elizabeth, and Garrett. After Rupert’s passing she moved in with them and was able to attend many of their games and activities Helen was a member of First United Methodist Church and taught Sunday school for 20 years.  Helen would later transfer to Hope United Methodist Church. Helen loved to read, crochet, doing word search puzzles, dancing and playing cards.  After retiring from Fisher Controls, where she worked as a Serial Room Clerk, she and Rupert became active in the Marshalltown Area Restorers club and the Cedar Rapids Antique Auto club. They loved going on car club trips, especially when their grandchildren went along with them.  Above all others, she loved her family and helping children.  After retirement, Helen volunteered at Anson Elementary School where she served as a Grandma to the kids where she read to the children.  Helen also enjoyed watching sports on television and became a die-hard Cardinal fan when she lived in Missouri with her family. Helen is survived by her son, Craig (Christy) of Grundy Center, three precious grandchildren-Grant (Emily) of Des Moines, Elizabeth (Gabriel) Love of O’Fallon, MO, and Garrett of Grundy Center, as well as Sisters-in-Law June Murty of California and LaRita Murty-Rose of Eldora and many other family and friends. In death, she rejoins her beloved Rupert, who passed in 1999, her parents, brothers George (Joan) Murty, Lester Murty, Sister Donna (Leonard) Klenk, niece Sandra Klenk (California)and Nephew Mike Murty (California).