Helene Poyzer

1917 - 2008

Helene Poyzer, age 91, passed away on July 25, 2008 at Methodist Hospital, St. Louis Park, Minnesota. Helene was born in Bayonne, New Jersey, on April 29, 1917 to Nestor and Paulina Zakaluzny.
Helene was raised in the Bronx borough of New York City. After graduating from nurses' training school at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, she became a registered nurse specialist in pediatrics, a nursing director and instructor of pediatrics. She also served with the Red Cross for the Blood Donor service. Concurrently with her nursing work, she was a ballet dancer and instructor of ballet.
During the time she was serving with the Red Cross, she met her husband, Lyle Poyzer, a corporal with the Army Air Corps. They were married at The Little Church Around the Corner in New York City on August 8, 1943. They were together for over 61 years.
After WWII, Helene and Lyle returned to Iowa, Lyle's home state. They lived in various Iowa towns as they raised four children. Helene often shared her time as a wife and mother with work as a private patient's nurse. Lyle served as school superintendent, teacher, and community college physics and math instructor. For many years, the family lived in Boone where they were active with many community organizations and Helene served as a school nurse with the Boone Community Schools. For a few years before Lyle retired from teaching, they lived in Des Moines, Iowa, where they enjoyed many friendships, especially with those members from The First United Methodist Church of Des Moines. After Lyle retired, they moved to Spirit Lake, Iowa, and to Tucson, Arizona, during the winters. In Tucson, they were active members of The Catalina Methodist Church. After Lyle's death in 2005, Helene made her home in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, at Summit Place Senior Campus.
Helene is survived by her four children: son John (Marie) of Colorado Springs, Colorado, daughter Rene' Deerheart of Duncan, BC, Canada, daughter Jane (Jon) Hicks of Minnetonka, Minnesota, and son Jim (Renea), of Des Moines, Iowa. Also surviving are 8 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren and a niece, Janet (Max) Keller of Lighthouse Point, Florida. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Walter, and sister, Eugenia.
A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, August 9th, at 2:00 at The Hilltop Church chapel at Summit Place Senior Campus, 8501 Flying Cloud Drive, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, 55344. Interment will be at Lakeview Cemetery in Spirit Lake, Iowa.