Helen Marie Himmels Berend, age 97, lifelong resident of Windthorst , Texas passed into her new life, surrounded by loving family, on Monday, July 20, 2015 in Earle W. Crawford House of Hope in Wichita Falls.

Helen was born December 20, 1917 in Windthorst to the late Paul and Theresa Goedtken Himmels. She attended grade school in Windthorst and high school in Wichita Falls where she graduated from the Academy of Mary Immaculate in 1936. After working for two years in Wichita Falls as a nanny, she married Lawrence August Berend on October 18, 1938 in Windthorst. He preceded her in death on April 25, 2013 after 75 years of marriage.

Her vocation in life was raising her family of six children, supporting Lawrence in the management of their business, and their community. She encouraged her family in education and was very involved in all their endeavors, whether it was sports, 4-H activities, or getting her boys to church as mass servers. Her life was well organized, but she knew how to have fun! In early years, it was driving vacations across the country with Lawrence and their five children (#6 not yet born). Her pleasure in traveling continued in later years as well as her fondness for dancing and bowling. Her true joys in life were her family, faith, flowers and friends. Part of her legacy with her family will be the annual 4th of July lake reunions - a tradition of 64 years.

Helen was a lifetime member of St Mary's Catholic Church and a member of St Mary's Catholic Daughters since February 28, 1937. She was a woman of exemplary faith, and strong values.

Survivors include four sons, Gerald Wayne Berend and wife, Nancy of Wichita Falls, Ray Edward Berend and wife, Dorothy of San Antonio, Larry John Berend and wife, Peggy of Scotland, and David Charles Berend and wife, Laura of Dallas; two daughters, Marilyn Catherine Wachsman and husband, Richard of Dallas, and Carol Ann Sales and husband, Terry of Windthorst; four sisters, Mabel Bowlden of Dallas, Margie Himmels of Wichita Falls, Annette Fleitman of Lindsay, and Ann Veitenheimer of Windthorst; twenty-five grandchildren and thirty-six great-grandchildren.

She was also preceded in death by her younger brother, Johnny who died in childhood, and Paul who was killed in the Korean War; her sisters, Betty Jo New, Pauline Cassidy, Juanita Munchrath, and Ida Mae Brenneis; one grandson, Kevin Lawrence Wachsman; one grandson-in-law, Mark Brown.

Vigil service and rosary will be held at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 22, 2015, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Windthorst with Rev. Michael Moloney, O.F.S. Parochial Administrator of St. Mary's and St. Boniface Catholic Church, and Deacon Don Brown officiating. Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, July 23, 2015, at St. Mary's Catholic Church. Interment will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery under the direction of Aulds Funeral Home of Archer City.

Serving as pallbearers will be Adam Berend, John Jay Berend, Kelli Bickford, Melissa Brown, Paul Bradley Wachsman and Tessa Yates.

The family suggests memorials to St. Mary's Catholic Church, P.O. Box 230, Windthorst, Texas 76389, St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery Fund, P.O. Box 230, Windthorst, Texas 76389 or to the charity of your choice.