Helen E. Wilhelm

Helen E. Wilhelm

September 13, 1928 – July 22, 2021

Helen Elizabeth Wilhelm, 92, of Custar, Ohio passed away Thursday, July 22, 2021 at Story Point Assisted Living, Waterville, Ohio.

She was born September 13, 1928 in Bowling Green, Ohio to the late John and Jessie (Pultz) Bechstein.  On June 5, 1948 she married Lawrence “Pud” Wilhelm at St. Louis Catholic Church, Custar, Ohio and he preceded her in death on October 20, 2009.

Helen was a Liberty Township High School graduate.  She was a faithful member of St. Louis Catholic Church and the Altar & Rosary Society.  She volunteered a lot of her time and talents in helping out at her church and in her community.  She was a member of the Farm Bureau Council, The Ohio Farmers Union and enjoyed her neighborhood Homemakers Club.

Helen was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.  She loved and cared for her family, tended to her home and enjoyed life on the farm.  She was very involved in the family farm operations, from keeping the books to making the important decisions.  The family remembers her for her skilled sewing, cooking and baking.  Anytime you went to her home there were fresh baked cookies in the cookie jar and always a request for her butterscotch pie.

She is survived by her children, Stephen (Darlene) Wilhelm; Shirley (Tim) Mercer; Stanley (Lisa) Wilhelm; Sarah (Steve) Instone; 12 grandchildren, Chellie (Shawn) Davies; Michael Mercer; Matthew Mercer; Elizabeth (Pierson) Halleck; Jessie (Matt) VanVorhis; Erin (Shawn) Shaffer; Megan (Kyle) McKenzie; Allison (Michael) Betz; Katie (Robert) Mahlman; Melissa Wilhelm; Andrew (Alissa) Wilhelm; Benjamin Wilhelm; 15 great grandchildren, Ethan and Kendall Davies; Olivia Mercer; Tyler, Tanner and Trever Shaffer; Hannah and Haylee Betz; Wyatt and Payton McKenzie; James and Blake Mahlman; Adeline Halleck; Jade and Jolene VanVorhis; brother, Loren (Ellen) Bechstein and sisters-in-law, Mae Bechstein, Martha Phillips and Mary Phillips.

She was preceded in death by a great granddaughter, MacKenzie Shaffer; and sisters, Estella Chamberlain; Emma Abke; Ida Mae Roe; and brothers, John Jr., Perry; Newton; Ira; Ivan; George; Carl; and Ray Bechstein.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday at St. Louis Catholic Church, Custar with Fr. Walter Tuscano officiating.  Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be from 2-5 p.m. on Sunday at Feehan-Rodenberger Funeral Home, Deshler with a scripture service at 4:30 p.m.  Visitation will also be from 10-11 a.m. Monday at the church.

The family suggests memorials to St. Louis Catholic Church or School; St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or Cherry Street Mission.

The Wilhelm family would like to sincerely thank everyone at Story Point Assisted Living and Otterbein of Perrysburg for the heartfelt and quality care they gave to Helen during her time there.   

Memories and messages can be shared with the family at www.feehanrodenbergerfuneralhome.com.

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