Helen Wilcox

Helen Hansen was born August 20, 1911 in Spearfish, SD one of seven children. She attended school in Spearfish and Deadwood until age 13 when she had to discontinue her school education due to loss of vision. Realizing her eyesight would be gone totally in a few years, she taught herself to knit and crochet at 13. Helen would later teach herself brail, cooking and many crafts. As a young adult she worked as domestic help on a farm in Hulett.

She wed Buster Clarence Wilcox in the fall of 1937. Helen bore and raised six children with Buster. It was a huge job because by that time she was legally blind. She helped make ends meet by baking bread and cinnamon rolls every Saturday. She sold them to the neighborhood. She never collected disability; instead she went to Denver for government training. She then returned to Casper and ran a news stand in the old Casper Post Office until it closed. She then transferred to the Federal Building where she ran a coffee shop until she retired in 1973.

Helen became so prolific at knitting and crocheting that she won many ribbons for several years at the Natrona County Fair. She also was a skilled fisherwoman, even loving to fish in Hole in the Wall Canyon hanging on to Buster's trousers; she ascended fearlessly and always caught the most fish. She developed a great skill in playing Canasta with her brail cards and usually won.

She cooked and canned several thousand jars of fruit, meat and vegetables over the years. Helen loved life and enjoyed it to the fullest. She loved a challenge and she loved to travel.

Buster passed away at 73 after 48 years of marriage. She later married Dave Case and was widowed again at 95. She is survived by five children – Darlene (Everett) Diblle, Walt (Lisa) Wilcox Sr, Rose (Dennis) Hoff, Vern (Judy) Wilcox and Sharon (Larry) Bossard. Her sisters, Marguerett Miller, Esther Sullivan, and Evelyn Molyneux. She is also survived by twenty plus grandchildren and step grandchildren, too many great grandchildren and great great grandchildren to count and at least a hundred nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents Walter and Inger Hansen, and a son Charles Wilcox.

She was a lifelong inspiration to all who met her and cherished by all. She considered eating fresh grapefruit everyday for breakfast the secret to life and asked that his information be passed on. Those who knew her, knew her upbeat spirit and ability to keep a positive attitude with everything life dealt. She was defeated by dementia and old age but was a gift to all who met her. She touched their lives and will be missed forever.

Services will be held on Friday, May 4, 2012 at 2:00 PM at Newcomer Funeral Home 710 E. 2nd Street Casper WY 82601, with a visitation the evening prior Thursday, May 3, 2012 from 5:00-7:00 PM at the Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made directly to Central Wyoming Hospice 319 S. Wilson St. Casper, WY 82601 or Meals on Wheels 1760 E. 12th St. Casper, WY 82601

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