Helen Nordin

Helen Bergitta Gulleson Nordin, 86, of Glendale, AZ died of respiratory illness on November 3rd. Helen was born on July 13, 1922 to Martin and Clara Gulleson, on their family farm in Rutland, North Dakota. She had four brothers and one sister. Helen and her husband Herlin who died two months ago raised their children in Minnesota. Married in 1946, Helen was devoted to Herlin for 62 years. Being a homemaker was a job to which Helen was well suited. While she loved everything to do with making a house a home for her family, she also had other jobs over the years. She enjoyed retail sales, stemming from the time prior to her marriage when she owned her own business, Helen's Store, in Rutland. She was also a Welcome Wagon Hostess in Hutchinson and Owatonna, Minnesota. Helen was always active in the church - involved with Bible studies, fellowship activities, and working in the church's thrift shop. Her Sundays weren't complete without a morning service to attend. Proud of her Norwegian heritage, Helen visited family in Norway and never lost touch with them. She loved to travel and made many trips to Europe. Helen was the originator of a golf group, the "Monday Mixers," more than 25 years ago. It continues to bring friends together. Church, family, homemaking, friends, travel and shopping were Helen in a nutshell. But they don't say enough about the person she was. Everyone who knew her loved her. It wouldn't be just her family who would say she was a saint. She never had a bad word for anyone. Love, patience, kindness, faith, humility were what she was about. But she would say that her incredible strength in adversity came from above, and that all she needed in order to cope during bad times was "her friend, Jesus." Her prayer life was rich. She will be greatly missed by many people but her legacy of love will live on. She is survived by her brother Grant Gulleson, her children Lyle Nordin, Jane Peter Jenkins and Julie Russell Wood, two grandsons Ian Jenkins and Neil Jenkins and twelve members of the Wood family step grandchildren and step great-grandchildren. A celebration of Helen's life will be held at Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church, 11025 N. 111th Avenue in Sun City 85351 on Saturday, November 8th at 11:00. Fellowship and a light lunch at the church will follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Shepherd of the Desert's Memorial Fund which will be directly forwarded to Lutheran Social Ministries. Menke Funeral & Cremation Center handled arrangements.