Margaret Helfrich

The world lost a very kind, compassionate, and loving person to everyone. She and Matt’s legacy is their deep Catholic faith, and she inspired her family and everyone she knew to follow that lead.

Margaret Helfrich passed away from lung cancer on April 17, 2022, Easter Sunday (Resurrection Day), at the age of 81. She was born on Jan. 8, 1941, at a farm in Hettinger County, ND, to Mike and Margaret Klein. Margaret married her best friend Matt Helfrich in June 1962. She passed away two months before celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.

She was employed at Lawler Drug and Montana Bank of Baker. In 1977, Matt and Margaret purchased Russell’s Clothing in Baker, and operated it for 28 years. They retired in 2004, and, in 2006, they moved to Billings to be closer to their daughter’s family and enjoyed attending their grandchildren’s athletic events. They spent eight winters in Arizona with their sons’ families and attended their numerous activities.

She was the family photographer, baker, and loved to crochet. Matt and Margaret enjoyed many trips and especially ocean cruises and three pilgrimages to the Holy Land, Medjugorje, Fatima, and Lourdes. Highlights were Paris, Rome, Jerusalem, and St. James Cathedral in Madrid, Spain.

Margaret enjoyed making rosaries and donated over 13,000 to SCL Health and foreign missions. She enjoyed leading the rosary and distributing Holy Communion to SCL Hospital and West Park Retirement Home. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters for 60 years, member and current President of St. Rose of Lima Circle, and participated in the St. Thomas Soup Ministry for the homeless.

She is survived by her husband, Matt; her children, Kevin (Joni) Helfrich, Karla (Jim) Stanton, and Keith (Emmaly) Helfrich; grandchildren Marissa (Connor) Cunningham, James Stanton, Jacob (Sammy) Stanton, Michael Stanton (Kennedy, friend), Kelsi (Aaron) Podzielny, Kyle Helfrich, and Nathan Helfrich; great-grandchildren Oliver and Kamryn Cunningham; brother Ray Klein (Shirley); sisters-in-law Donna and Lois; as well as several nieces and nephews. Margaret was preceded in death by an infant son, Michael; parents Mike and Margaret Klein; sisters Cecilia, Emma, Mary, Kate, Irene; brothers Frank, Pete, Sam, Kasper, Joe, Michael, and Tony.

A special thank you to Father Steve Zabrocki and the doctors and nurses at SCL Health. Memorials can be made to St. Francis Catholic School or St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church.

A vigil service will be at 7 p.m. Monday, April 25, at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary, 1001 Alderson Ave. Funeral mass will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 26, at St. Thomas the Apostle, 2055 Woody Drive.

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