Helen Svaren

Helen Svaren, 97 of Sioux Falls and a former Arlington resident died Friday, June 5, 2020 in Sioux Falls.

Helen J Cody was born November 3, 1922 at Carpenter, Iowa to Esther (Oleson) Cody and Albert Cody.

She was baptized into the Christian faith.  Her family moved to rural Greattinger, Iowa, where she attended rural school.  She was confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church at Ringsted, IA and graduated from Seneca High School in 1940, Waldorf College, Forest City, IA in 1942 and Augustana College in Sioux Falls in 1949.  She attended Lutheran Bible Institute, in Minneapolis for one year.

On September 3, 1951, she married C. Mark Svaren at Ringsted, IA and they celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary before Marks death in 2009.  Helen was devoted to service in several Lutheran congregations pastored by her husband at Sherman (First, Highland and St. Paul) (1952-1957); Messiah, North Sioux Falls and Renner (1957-1967); Moe Parish of rural Hudson (Lands, Romsdal, Trinity) (1967-1972); Trinity of Arlington, SD (1972-1983.) She lived in Arlington until 2007 before moving to Sioux Falls.

Over several years, she was a teacher at high school, middle school and elementary school levels at Ledyard, Esterville and West Lyon, Inwood all in Iowa and at Brookings, SD.  Her hobbies included quilt making, gardening, playing Scrabble, visiting the homebound and teaching English as a second language.  After her retirement in 1985, she was a prolific writer, researching and writing two comprehensive family history projects and routinely writing many prose/poetry entries for the South Dakota State Fair and other publications.  Her writing was awarded State Fair all around sweepstakes three times and she perservered even after eyesight challenges due to progressive macular degeneration.;

Her vibrant love and faith were an example to her children. Kristin (Harold) Breitag of Sioux Falls, SD; Paul (Mary Ellen) Svaren of Clearwater, FL; Mari (Mark) Monono of Omaha, NE; Meriam (Kent) Hughes of Java, SD; Faith (Jeff) Martinson of Wausau, WI and John (Laura) Svaren of Madison, WI; 12 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Mark in 2009, her parents, sisters, Maxine Cody and Donna Pringle and an infant twin daughter Hope Svaren.

Private family graveside services will be held on Saturday, June 13, 2020 at the East Sinai Lutheran Cemetery, Sinai, SD.  Visitation will be from 5-7 pm on Friday, June 12, 2020 at the Johnson-Henry Funeral Home in Arlington, the family will not be present.