Sue Helleso

Susan Helleso, 68, of Malcom, died on Sunday, November 30, 2025 at UnityPoint Grinnell Regional Medical Center.
A funeral service will be held 10:30 am, Friday, December 5, 2025 at the Malcom Presbyterian Church. A luncheon will follow at the Malcom American Legion. A private family burial will be held at Rock Creek Cemetery in Garwin, Iowa.
The family will receive friends at the visitation held from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm on Thursday, December 4th at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell.
Memorials may be designated to the family (please make checks payable to her daughter, Kristina Hoien) and mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home and Crematory, PO Box 368, Grinnell, IA 50112. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.smithfh.com.
Susan Lynn Carpenter Helleso was born on July 8, 1957, at Mercy Hospital in Marshalltown, IA to Richard and Ramona Shaefer Keller Carpenter. Her paternal grandparents, Mark and Helen Carpenter, raised her. Sue attended South Tama Community School and enjoyed worshipping at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Tama. After their deaths, she lived for a short time with her parents and then moved to the foster home of Dean and LaRue Warren with their children Led, Wendy and Bret. Sue graduated from Grundy Center High School with the class of 1975. She attended Marshalltown Community College and ultimately moved back to Tama living with Ed and Faye Shook.
On April 29, 1978, Sue married Jerry Helleso at Garwin Christian Church and then resided in Marshalltown. Six months later, they moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. Sue worked at Wonderworld Dry Cleaners and 7-11 while they were there. They moved back to Iowa and lived on an acreage West of Malcom, where Sue had Kristina Lynn on June 8, 1984. After living there two years, the family moved back to Vegas and she worked at 7-11 part-time.
In 1988, the "little family" moved back to Iowa and lived in Malcom, where Sue continued on her next career path - being a stay-at-home mom! On Dec 27, 1992, Sue gave birth to Bryan Lee. Though she suffered from postpartum depression, she put her heart into being a good mom and wife.
She loved being involved with her children's activities and enjoyed having their friends show up, anytime they needed to. She also enjoyed helping Jerry with whatever projects or activities he needed help with. She thoroughly loved being his wife and living by Malcom in the acreage they put together.
Sue was also very involved with her church - Malcolm Presbyterian Church - and was part of the women's group and Bible study, occasionally leading worship or "playing piano." Her love of music was a constant throughout her life. She was often grooving to everything from the Beatles or rock music to the worship music she listened to from her pew at church. Conservative politics was also of interest to her. After Jerry passed away, Sue worked as a call representative at the conservative call center in Brooklyn. After the call center closed, they requested Sue return to work there as a support team member. Sue was always concerned about keeping our country a Christian nation. Especially for Kristina, Bryan and their families.
Sue is preceded in death by her grandparents; her parents; her husband, Jerry Helleso; and her son-in-law, Tim Hoien. She is survived by her daughter, Kristina Hoien of Brooklyn; her son, Bryan (Sarah) Helleso of Waterloo and their children, Jemma and Juno; her sister, Carolyn Brewer; her brother, Charles Carpenter; and her beloved nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Sue was genuine in her care for those she loved, and encouraged those around her to do the same. She was honest, faithful, generous, deeply loved and forever groovy.