Helen C. Bartels, 92, Seventh Heaven Elder Group Home, formerly of Budd Road, died Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2007, at Seventh Heaven.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home, 3860 Asbury Road, with Pastor John Sorenson of Lord of Life Lutheran Church officiating. Burial will be in Linwood Cemetery. Friends may call from

-- to 8 p.m. today and after 10 a.m. Friday at the funeral home.

She was born on June 1, 1915, in Sageville, Iowa, daughter of Carl and Carrie (Klein) Hahlen. She married Melvin Bartels on May 14, 1941, at St. John's Lutheran Church; he preceded her in death on Feb. 17, 1998.

Helen was a longtime homemaker and farmer's wife. She was an avid gardener of both flowers and vegetables. Helen and Melvin enjoyed dancing together in their younger years. She enjoyed cooking and playing cards with family and friends and was a member of the same card club for 50 years.

Surviving are her three children, Judy (Ralph) Owens, of Brooksville, Fla., and Jayne (Paul) Cate and Richard "Dick" (Sharon) Bartels, both of Dubuque; eight grandchildren, Kathleen (Brian) Ward, of Spring Hill, Fla., Randy (friend, Nicole) Cate , Kevin (Cassie) Cate, Lori (Chris) Saylor, Kelly (Aaron) Gabel, Carrie (Jamie) Hutchins, Kristine (friend, Jared) Bartels, and Michelle (Chad) LaRue, all of Dubuque; six great-grandchildren; two sisters, Lucille Gottschalk and Mildred Hahlen, both of Dubuque; and a brother, Arthur Hahlen, of Dubuque.

She also was preceded in death by three brothers, Carl, Ralph, and Wilfred Hahlen; a sister, Edna Miller; two brothers-in-law, George Gottschalk and Vince Miller; and two sisters-in-law, Elnora Hahlen, and Jeanette Hahlen.

A Helen C. Bartels Memorial Fund has been established.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.hoff

mannschneiderfuneralhomes.com.

The family would like to extend a special thank-you to Mary, J.R., Sister Dolores, and Cathy, of Seventh Heaven for their tender loving care of Helen, and to the Hospice of Dubuque and staff.