Helen JANSSEN

1922 - 2019

Strong, benevolent, creative, grateful lover of life, nature, music, and people are just a few ways those who knew her best describe Helen Rose "Nicholas" Janssen, CSJ. Born thirteenth of fifteen children on a farm in Wadena, MN, on January 19, 1922, Helen died peacefully on June 13, 2019 at Carondelet Village in St. Paul. Helen entered the community of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1940, and in 1960 earned a BA in Sociology from the College of St. Catherine. Her long vocational career included more than 50 years as a teacher at many CSJ run schools including: The Catholic Boys Home, St. Anthony, and St. Thomas the Apostle in Minneapolis; St. Columba, St. Luke, and Holy Spirit in St. Paul; St. Michael in Grand Forks, ND. Sixteen of those years were spent teaching kindergarten through senior high school in Hawaii, and the last 12 at her home parish, St. Edward in Minneota, MN. After taking the necessary courses, Helen spent 20 years serving in the health care ministries as a home health and nurses' aide, and hospice care chaplain at Prairies Home Hospice and Minneota Manor; as well as teaching CPR for the Red Cross. She was proud to be the first CSJ Emergency Medical Technician for the communities of Minneota, Marshall, Ghent, and Taunton, MN. In 1991 she received the State of Minnesota Humanitarian award for her "significant contributions to the long-term health care industry." Of this work Helen states, "I saw miracles of grace, one after another, it was very life giving." Helen is preceded in death by parents Helen (née Wassenberg) and Nicholas Janssen; sisters, Aida, Elizabeth, Margaret, Mary, and Theresa; brothers, August, Edward, Francis, George, Henry, John, Leo, Peter, and Peter I. She is survived by many nieces and nephews; grand-nieces and grandnephews, countless lifelong friends; and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and Consociates. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, June 20, 2019, 11:00 AM, in Our Lady of the Presentation Chapel, 1884 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, MN, with Visitation at 10:00 AM preceding Mass, and burial at Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota Heights, MN, following luncheon at Carondelet Center in St. Paul. Memorials preferred to The Sisters of St. Joseph Retirement Fund. Sister Helen, rest in love and peace. 651-698-0796