Helen Ruth Eubank
Monday, September 9, 1929
Date of Death:
Friday, February 26, 2021
Age:
91 years old
Visitation
Date: Saturday March 20, 2021
Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Location: River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home [ view map ]
Memorial Service
Date: Saturday March 20, 2021
Time: 11:00 am
Location: River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home [ view map ]
Burial
Location: Ft. Snelling National Cemetery [ view map ]
Monday, September 9, 1929
Date of Death:
Friday, February 26, 2021
Age:
91 years old
Monday, September 9, 1929
Date of Death:
Friday, February 26, 2021
Age:
91 years old
Helen Ruth Eubank
Helen Ruth Eubank, 91, of Rochester, MN, died Friday, February 26, 2021 at Methodist Hospital in Rochester.
Helen was born September 9, 1929 to Daniel Edward and Lydia Ione Sturdivant near Madrid, Iowa. She had an older sister, Thelma Jean and a younger sister, Wanda Lee.
Helen’s first two years of school were in a little white, one room schoolhouse. After her father bought a farm near Cambridge, Iowa, she attended Shipley School where she graduated in 1947.
On October 28, 1948, Helen married Darrell Dwight Eubank, best known as Dwight. They had a son, Craig, in October of 1949 and a daughter, Joyce, in February of 1954. Helen and Dwight were dairy farmers and bought a farm in West Concord, Minnesota where they raised their two children.
After selling their farm in West Concord they both went into real estate. Together they bought a building in Byron, MN that they remodeled and had their real estate offices for 17 years. After a massive heart attack, Dwight was forced to retire and Helen started working at the Rochester Community College. They traveled around Minnesota on weekends in their transvan, often with another couple who had the same identical transvan. When Helen retired, they purchased a mobile home in Texas where they spent their winters and enjoyed many wonderful friends. After 58 years of marriage, her husband passed away at age 84.
Helen was gifted artistically and enjoyed many different crafts. She attended ceramic classes for several years and made beautiful ceramic pieces that family and friends still enjoy. She also crocheted afghans she gave to family and friends as well as beaded jewelry.
Helen joined the Senior Center in the old Armory building where she made many new friends. One very special friend she met was Robert J. Higgins. In 2009 Helen nearly lost her life in a serious bus accident. Her new friend, Bob, was by her side through every step of the way, following her accident, and played a major role in her will to recover.
When Helen was able to travel, she and Bob traveled south together for the winters. They enjoyed four winters in Texas and three in Arizona. They shared 11 special years together.
She is survived by her daughter, Joyce (Tom) Eubank Frid; granddaughter, Katherine Frid; grandson, Joshua Mason Eubank; daughter-in-law, Ardis Eubank; grandson, David (Barb) Miller; granddaughter, Dianna (Bob) Lyng; sister, Wanda Lee; niece, Rebecca (Mike) Hand; and nephew, Daniel (Tammy) Krock; and her best friend, Robert J. Higgins.
Helen was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Thelma Jean; husband, Darrell Dwight; and son, Craig Laurence.
Helen and her loved ones want to thank the Mayo Clinic Hospice Team for the outstanding care she and her loved ones received. The team’s knowledge, compassion, and care far exceeded their expectations and their hearts are filled with gratitude.
The memorial service for Helen will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 20, 2021 in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Helen will be laid to rest at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis with her husband, Dwight and son, Craig.
In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Mayo Clinic Hospice.
Condolences
The family of Helen Ruth Eubank has received the following condolences.
Joyce & Family & Bob,
Just know that our thoughts and prayers have been with all of you since your Mom’s passing. Your Mom was a great friend and a real sweetheart we had a lot of laughs and talks over the years. Hard to believe that we have known one another for 29 years. We are so thankful for our last phone visit. Your Mom was so amazingly at peace and it was so fun to have a great conversation. We will miss her as we know you all will.
May you all have Comfort and Peace during these difficult days!
Gordon and Karen
I am so sorry for your loss. I worked with Helen out at the College. Helen was the nicest, sweetest, caring person. We had so many great times when we would all meet during our lunch or coffee breaks. Lots of great memories.
Hello--you don't know me but Helen was one of the first staffers I met when I first came to RCTC (RCC back then). I was only 16 years old at the time and was a nervous new student. I was just coming in to RCTC the year she was going out. I worked as a student helper in the Admissions office, which was across the hall from where Helen worked as a secretary/receptionist in the Counseling office. One of my jobs was pulling student files for the counselors---all hard copies in those days--internet, email, and file sharing were in their infancy. The counselors would call over to Admissions with a list of students they were scheduled to see and request their files. We work study students were tasked with pulling those files and running them over to the counseling office. We were to give them to Helen who would then distribute them to the counselors. Her desk was just inside the door and I LOVED going over there so I could speak with her. She had that warm, loving, “everybody’s grandma” vibe going on and you couldn’t help but feel instantly at ease with that kindly older lady. Like I said, I was a young and nervous new freshman at the time and I guess I kinda latched on to her. She always treated me with such kindness and affection whenever I came in to collect or drop off files. Sometimes I would just stick my head in the door to say "hi" to her if I happened to be walking by on my way to/from classes. I just fell in love with her and was sad when she left. I didn’t know her long but the memory of her sweetness and kindness has stayed with me ALL these years later. I'm now in my 24th year at RCTC--I work in the music/drama department and I never forgot her! I never had any contact with her since her retirement all those years ago and honestly, I didn’t know if she was even still living or not. When I saw the news of her passing in the RCTC staff newsletter today, I was happy to learn she had such a loving family and lived a rich, good long life of 91 years. She deserved nothing less. Heaven has another angel…..she was a peach. ? God's peace be with you all during this time of loss.
On behalf of Rochester Community and Technical College, I want to express our sincere condolences to the Eubank family on the passing away of your mother, Helen. I knew Helen from her days at our College, and she is probably the sweetest lady I ever knew! She brought comfort to our students (and some of us younger employees) like a mother figure. She was very special.
Our thoughts and prayers are with your family.
Judy Kingsbury
Joyce,
I am very sorry to hear of your mother's passing. What a beautiful picture of her. I have fond memories of your Mom and times that I spent at your house, when it was down the gravel road and just around the corner. It has been many years, probably HS, since I have seen you. Unfortunately I seem to only make contact when I read of Craig's passing and now your Mom. Heaven always gets a bit closer when a loved one has gone on before us.
Take care my friend and know that I am thinking of you during this time. No matter when it is always hard to say goodbye for now, to a loved one.
Julann