Helen Kissel

1934 - 2025

Northfield - Helen Elizabeth Kissel, age 90, died August 25, 2025 at Northfield Retirement Community. Born September 6, 1934, she began her life living in the back of her father's hardware store in Dorchester, Wisconsin. A few years later, her family moved to Westby, Wisconsin, where they owned and operated Erickson Hardware. Helen graduated from Westby High School and Luther College, where she met and married Clayton Patterson. They began their lives in Chicago, where Helen briefly taught English and physical education. Relocating to Coon Rapids, Minnesota they had four children. When their marriage ended in divorce, Helen became a single mother for a few years before she married John Kissel.

Helen subsequently earned her special education certification and taught Special Ed at Blaine High School for sixteen years. After her retirement, she volunteered at various elementary schools assisting children who need extra help or TLC.

Helen was a quiet and lovely soul who prized education and reading above all else. Having little patience for gossip rags or trashy novels, she plowed through books, magazines, and newspapers, always curious about the world. Crossword puzzles and Scrabble were some of her favorite activities.

At the dawn of the 21st century, Helen began traveling the world with her cousin and companion Kek Robien. Together they visited Norway, Russia, China, South America, The British Isles, Canada, Africa, and the USA from East to West, with a riverboat cruise down the Mississippi thrown in, among other destinations.

Every Syttende Mai (Norwegian Constitution Day) Helen, Kek and their children traveled back to Westby, where they partook in festive Norwegian traditions, eating rommegrot, and attending parades and polka services at the country Lutheran church. Every summer, they found themselves in Nevis, Minnesota enjoying the lakes, pontoon boat cruises and shopping in Park Rapids and Dorset, haunting the quaint bookstores and restaurants.

Throughout her life, Helen was a model Christian, never judging those who were different, always showing generosity, kindness and compassion, especially to those less fortunate, even when she had little to give. Despite some of her hardships as a single mother, she never complained, but rather had a smile or kind word for anyone she encountered. There wasn't a vain bone in her body. She was the paragon of grace, humility, trustworthiness, and dependability.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Emil and Mildred Erickson, son-in-law Rick Candels, husband John Kissel, cousin and companion, Kek Robien, and daughter-n law Terri Patterson. Survivors include brother Richard, sons Bruce, Russell, and Keith (Sally Sweet) Patterson, daughter Heather Candels, grandson Tristan, cousin Mark Robien, and four stepchildren. Also included are her friends from Church of the Resurrection, which she helped found, and St. John in the Wilderness Episcopal Church in White Bear Lake. The staff and neighbors at NRC were all wonderful friends to her in her final years.

A celebration of life will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, October 18, 2025 at the Northfield Retirement Community Chapel. A visitation will be held at 10:00 AM, one hour prior to the service, with reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in her memory to a charity of one's choice.

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