Helen L. Tippery, 97 years of Decatur, Nebraska, passed away on June 2, 2026, at Memorial Community Hospital in Blair, Nebraska.
Memorial Service will be held Monday, June 8, 2026, at 11:00am at United Methodist Church in Decatur, NE. Visitation will be Sunday, from 5:00-7:00 pm at Pelan Funeral Services in Tekamah. Private family burial. Memorials to the family for future designation. Pelan Funeral Services of Tekamah is assisting the family with arrangements.
Helen LaVerne Marie Froid Tippery was born on March 11, 1929, to Lester and Helga (Svendsen) Froid on a farm in rural Lyons, Nebraska. Helen passed away peacefully on June 2, 2026, at Memorial Community Hospital in Blair, Nebraska, at the age of 97 with her family by her side. Her life was a testament to her faith, strength, independence and unwavering commitment to family.
She graduated from Lyons High School in 1945. Helen continued her education at Wayne State College, where she earned her teaching degree. She taught K-8 at District 37 for three years.
Helen married the love of her life, Lyle, on March 27, 1949. Four children were born to this union: Larry, Cheryl, Susan, and Janelle.
Helen was a homemaker and active in the Decatur United Methodist Church, serving the church in many different roles and participating in Bluffers Club, various card clubs, and Bible studies.
Helen loved to entertain. She was known for her homemade angel food cakes, yummy sugar cookies, and potato salad. Her grandchildren loved her mashed potatoes-made with lots of real butter and whipping cream! When people stopped by, there was always a cup of coffee and a snack to share.
Helen also had a great knack for decorating. She loved to rearrange her furniture, and when she could no longer do it herself, she directed others on how it should be placed. She was very particular in how her house was arranged and decorated. It was well known that Helen’s favorite color was green; she even painted the outside of their house green one summer. Her favorite holiday was St. Patrick’s Day.
Helen had a great sense of humor and loved to prank others, especially her grandchildren.
For the past twenty years, at least once a year, we had a sleepover where twenty-plus people gathered and spent the night sharing stories, playing games, exploring outside, and of course, lots of food. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren loved getting together at her house and have formed lasting great memories of being there. Helen was so proud of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; she was always interested in the various activities they were involved in.
Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Lyle; daughter and son-in-law, Cheryl and Kirtland Card; sister, Delores Hunter and her husband Glenn; brothers, Raymond and Gordan; brothers- and sisters-in-law, Elmer and Laura Tippery, Vern and Gwen Tippery, Glen and Joan Tippery, and Velma and Erwin Henning.
She is survived by her daughters Susan (Wayne) Hansen and Janelle (John) Ray; son Larry (Bonnie) Tippery; grandchildren and great-grandchildren Abra (Jeremy) Bridges, Mettie, Orry and Charley; Morgan (Mitch) Sapp, Hurley and Jameson; Grant (Ashley) Ray, Oakley and Porter; Jon (Amber) Hansen, Peyton, Emry, Cooper and Rowan; Rebecca (Brent) Wood, Barak and Brynley; Deborah (Josh) Hewitt, Jed, Jay, Fletcher and Landyn; Rachel (Jesse) Green, Faith, Grace and Lily; Steven (Sherry) Tippery Tristan and Ethan; Michelle (James) Bowen, Kaden and Alexis; sister-in-law Lavonne Froid; and many nieces and nephews.