- Date Of Birth: 1933
- Date Of Death: 2019
- State: Minnesota
Obituary of Helen L. Buche
Age 85, passed away at her home in Saint Paul on July 6, 2019. Born November 17, 1933 in Preston, MN, Helen was preceded in death by her parents, Stanley and LaVeta (nee Mullane) Nelson and beloved aunt Agnes Mullane.
Helen is survived by her husband of 61 years, John Buche, and their three children; Carol Buche and her husband Jason Hawke, Karen Buche Clark and her husband Don, Karl Buche and his partner Cheryl Elsey; nephew Michael Kislack and his wife Wanda; nephew, Stephen Kislack and his partner Joseph Liu: niece Susan Kislack Torma and her husband Michael.
After being raised in Preston and graduating high school there, Helen graduated with Honors from Winona State Teachers College in 1955 where she was awarded the Purple Key by the Honor Society. In 1977 Helen was awarded two Masters of Science degrees in Reading and Special Education and was an elementary school remedial reading teacher for many years in the Smithtown school district on Long Island, NY. In November 1992, just before she retired, she was the recipient of the New York State Reading Association’s Reading Teacher Award for Outstanding Service in Reading Education.
Helen married John in Lafayette Indiana while John attended Purdue University where John graduated as a Naval officer. Helen raised her three children through years of frequent moves to various Naval assignments: as far North as Syracuse NY, as far East as Norfolk Virginia, as far South as New Orleans Louisiana, and as far West as Honolulu Hawaii. She was very proud of the fact that her children only missed a half day of school through all the moves. After John retired from active duty they settled on Long Island where Helen restarted her teaching career.
After her retirement, Helen and John returned to Minnesota and bought a grand old house in the Summit Hill neighborhood in St Paul MN, which they took great delight in restoring to its former grandeur. During her years in St Paul she was a tireless volunteer in community affairs as a member of the American Association of University Women, the volunteer coordinator for the Summit Hill House Tour, and President of the Norwegian organization Totenlaget in America.
