Helen Hirsch

BRISTOL- Helen Hirsch, 88 of Bristol and formally of Webster died on Friday, January 4, 2008 at Sun Dial Manor in Bristol. Fiksdal Funeral Service of Webster assisted the family with arrangements. A memorial service will be held at the Sun Dial Manor with inurnment at a later date in the Rosehill Cemetary in Scotland, South Dakota. Susan (Danny) Smeins of Langford, a step-daughter is among the survivors. Helen Kathryn Hubbard was born on May 12, 1919 near Letcher, South Dakota to George H. and Elsie (Clapsaddle) Hubbard. Helen attended Mt. Vernon High School and graduated from Faith Home High School in Mitchell, South Dakota. She received her BA from Northwest Nazarene College in Nampa, Idaho, her Master’s degree from Ausbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Kentucky and her Doctor’s degree from The University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. She was professor of Christian Education at Houghton College, Houghton, New York, from 1960 - 1980. She married Victor J. Hirsch on March 31, 1968 at Houghton New York and became the loving adoptive mother to her deceased sister Ruth’s six children. She was an avid bird watcher, amateur photographer and artist. She loved gardening, singing religious songs, playing her guitar, walking and enjoying nature. Her love and devotion to God was evident in every aspect of her life. As a young woman she played and traveled with the Zook family doing revivals across Iowa. Her love for travel and adventure was evidenced by her work as a missionary in Vancouver, British Columbia and a visit to the Holy Land. Helen is survived and will be dearly missed by her brother Philip of Mitchell, South Dakota, her step children, Vickie (Ken) LaVenture of Colby, WI, Susan (Danny) Smeins of Langford, SD, Dr. Victor (Sherry) Hirsch, II of Abilene, TX, Fredric (Valerie Hirsch of Hgerstown, MD, Thomas Hirsch of Dallas, TX, and Mary Higgins of Hanover, PA; step –grandchildren are Monica ( Mike ) Dahl of Minnetonka, MN, Justin (Shannon) Falon of Renner, SD, Lauren Smeins of Minnetonka, MN, Lori (Mike) Mocarsky of Pasadena, MD, Nathaniel, Zachery, and Gabriel Hirsch all of Hagerstown, MD, Victor “John” Hirsch III of Anson, TX and Samantha Hirsch of Lubbock, TX, Mary LaVenture of Denver, CO, Kathryn LaVenture of Madison, WI; and step-greatgrandchildren include MacKenzie and Jacob Dahl of Minnetonka, MN, Liberty, Darian Falon and Kendall Falon both of Renner, SD, and Colton Mocarsky of Pasadena, MD. She was preceded in death by her brothers Robert and Edwin and her sister Ruth and their mutual husband Victor J. Hirsch. She will be greatly missed by her immediate and extended family, and the residents and staff of Sun Dial Manor who honored her with great and gentle care.