Helen Mary Neff

Helen (Dempewolf) Neff, 92, of rural Washington, Iowa died suddenly at her home on June 7, 2015.

On Saturday, June 13, at 11:30 am a rosary will be recited by the Catholic Daughters at St. James Catholic Church in Washington. This will be followed by a visitation with the family receiving friends from 12:00 until 1:00 p.m. and a funeral mass at 1:00 p.m. with Rev. Bernard Weir officiating. Immediately following mass, a lunch reception will be held at Tobin Hall in the church from 2:00 until 3:00 p.m. Burial will follow at the Cottonwood United Methodist Church cemetery west of Wayland.

Memorials for St. James Parish or the Catholic Daughters may be left at the church or mailed to the family at 3080 Highway 1, Washington, Iowa 52353. Online condolences may be sent for Helen’s family through the web at www.jonesfh.com.

Helen was born on May 22, 1923 in Bellevue, Iowa to Frank and Meta (Liefeit) Dempewolf and was the fourth of their 10 children. After graduating from high school she completed a business degree from the American Institute of Business in Davenport and worked for several years as a bookkeeper at the Rock Island Arsenal and the Blackhawk brewery. While in Davenport, Helen met Sam Neff at a dance held at the Coliseum ballroom. They were married on June 1, 1947 at St. James Parish in Washington where they lived until they bought a small farm north of Richland in 1950. Over the next three decades they built a successful farming operation and a new home while raising a family of 10 children.

In 1977, Helen and Sam retired from farming and moved back to Washington. A few years later, they built a second new home in the country between Washington and Brighton where Helen maintained a large flower and vegetable garden and helped Sam manage his carpentry and woodworking business. Helen and Sam were very happily married for 62 years and in the decade prior to his death in 2010 she was his devoted caregiver.

Helen was involved in several volunteer activities affiliated with St. James parish and school. In the 1980s, she was elected as the local and state regent (president) of the Catholic Daughters. Her other major interests were reading, music, card playing, dancing, and traveling across the United States.

Helen was very proud of her large family and was happiest when spending time with her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren. In 2013, over 100 family members and friends gathered at Marr Park to celebrate her 90th birthday. Helen will be remembered as a very hardworking, smart, and loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, great-great grandmother, sister and aunt and will be greatly missed by her family.

She is survived by her sister Clara Felderman of DeWitt, Iowa and brother Philip Dempewolf and his wife Sandy of Bonita, California; seven sons and two of her three daughters: Jim Neff and his wife Julia of Dekalb, Ill.; Ronald Neff of Washington, Iowa; Larry Neff and his wife Connie of Ottumwa; Marsha Neff and her husband Greg Gaut of Minneapolis, Minn.; Robert Neff and his wife Roberta of Ottumwa; Barbara Humston and her husband Kenneth of Brighton; Richard Neff and his wife Vicki of Robertsville, Mo.; John Neff and his wife Debbie of Ollie; and William Neff and his wife Julie of Des Moines; and by her son-in-law David Kling of Minnetrista, Minn. She is also survived by 16 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings Pauline Peters, Frank (Bud), Eugene, Kathleen (Kay) Nemmers, Donald, Joan Hayes, and Richard; her husband Sam; her daughter Donna; and two grandsons, Patrick, the son of Jim and Julia Neff and Justin, the son of Richard and Vicki Neff.