Helen Mae Devlin was born on April 5, 1935, on the family farm north of
Red Cloud, Nebraska and passed away on September 1, 2021, at the
Heritage Nursing Home in Red Cloud. Her parents were Paul and Grace
(Davis) Jelinek. Helen attended both rural and town schools and
graduated from Red Cloud High School in 1952. She attended college in
Kearney for two summers and taught in rural elementary schools in
Webster County for two years.
She met the love of her life, William Dale Devlin, in Red Cloud when
she was 15 and he 17 and they were a couple for the rest of her life.
While Bill was in the service and later during Bill’s time in Korea
during the Korean War, she wrote him a letter every day. Following
Bill’s return, they were married on June 13, 1954, at the Methodist
Church in Red Cloud. Following marriage, they moved to Omaha, Nebraska
where Bill continued his service in the Air Force. In 1956, they moved
to the family farm in Pawnee Township in Smith County, Kansas, where
they resided for the next 65 years. Two sons were born to this union,
James and Daniel, and a daughter, Kathleen.
Helen was a homemaker, a dedicated mother and was a partner with
Bill on the farm. She enjoyed cooking for her family and having
everyone to her house for holidays. She had a passion for her dogs and
cats and for gardening, particularly growing tomatoes and sewing clothes
for her family. She enjoyed her childrens’ events and loved her
grandchildren and having them visit the farm. She belonged to the Womer
Church for many years and attended whenever she could, participated in
other neighborhood activities and served many years as a community
leader for the Busy Bears 4-H Club.
Helen is survived by her husband, Bill, her son James and wife Lynda
of Smith Center, Kansas, her son, Daniel and wife Marjorie of
Manhattan, Kansas, her daughter Kathleen Lewis of Hastings, Nebraska,
grandsons, Rohn Lewis and Allen Devlin and granddaughters, Alisha Young,
Sarah Brunner, Danielle Mertz, Allison Kohlmeier, Seana Lewis and Rylea
Lewis and five great- grandchildren. Also surviving is her sister,
Barbara Crumley of Red Cloud and her sister-in-law Dorothy Devlin of Red
Cloud.
Preceding her in death were her parents and her sister Mary Ann Anderson.
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