Helen Lorraine (Wubben) Simmons

Helen L. (Wubben) Simmons, age 79, of Breezy Point, MN., passed away in Mesa, AZ., on January 20, 2023, after a short but courageous battle with cancer.

A celebration of life service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 30, at the New London Covenant Church. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at a later date at the Pelican Woods Cemetery in Breezy Point.  In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the American Cancer Society.  Arrangements are entrusted to Peterson Brothers Funeral Home. www.petersonbrothers.com

Helen Lorraine Simmons was born in Willmar, MN on April 10, 1943, to Simon and Lucy (Asche) Wubben. She was raised on her family’s farm and attended Country School #102 through 8^th grade. She graduated from Raymond High School in 1961.

Helen worked at Willmar JC Penney and was later employed as a secretary at Garfield Elementary School. She moved to Minneapolis and worked in the Art Departments of Honeywell and Napco Industries.

On June 13, 1970, Helen was united in marriage to Thomas Simmons at the Faith Christian Reformed Church in New Brighton, MN. On that day, she also became the loving mother of Debbie and Beth. The family lived in Hopkins for several years before moving to Plymouth, MN in 1975.

Helen was the sole proprietor of a typesetting business before joining Tom as the co-owner of Simmons Photography. Some of their commercial clients included Dole Foods, KFC, Kellogg’s, StarKist, and Fingerhut.

Tom and Helen enjoyed an early retirement and traveled in their motorhome during the winter months. They spent summers at their condo on Pelican Lake in Breezy Point, MN. The couple eventually chose AZ as their winter getaway and purchased a park model in Mesa. After 28 wonderful years of marriage, Tom passed away in 1998.

Helen continued her travel adventures with friends and visited 49 states in the U.S. She also traveled to Sweden and enjoyed a cruise with friends from AZ. Last summer, Helen talked about how Hawaii was still on her bucket list. Whether taking a short trip to enjoy fall colors or traveling cross-country, Helen loved driving and sightseeing. Family and friends joked with her about the number of miles she put on her vehicles.

Helen enjoyed entertaining. She hosted large family gatherings in Plymouth, many birthday and slumber parties for her daughters, dinners for business clients, and happy hours with friends in AZ and MN. She loved visitors and was up and ready by 8:30 every morning, in case company stopped by for her famous triple strength coffee and blueberry muffins.

Helen enjoyed fishing for walleyes with Tom on Gull and Pelican Lakes. She had many interests, including attending concerts, dinner theaters, boating, biking, playing golf, shopping, and riding as a passenger on motorcycles. Helen ran her first marathon in her late fifties. She also belonged to a hiking club in AZ. The group enjoyed many beautiful desert hikes, including a trip to the Grand Canyon.

Helen is survived by her daughters Debbie Simmons (special friend, Dan VanHale) and Beth Simmons; siblings, Alice (Leonard) Isdahl, Caroline Brouwer, and Stanley (Sandra) Wubben. She is also survived by her special friend Orman Balzer of Hesston, Kansas and many nephews, nieces, and friends.

Helen was preceded in death by her loving husband, Tom; parents, Simon and Lucy Wubben; sister Emelyne Brouwer; brothers-in-law, Lloyd and Orrin Brouwer; nephews, Larry Brouwer, Kevin Witte, and Tony Reyelts; and niece Lisa Walhof.