Helen Lattimer

    Helen “Jean” (Lattimer) Casey died on Monday, Oct. 3, 2011, at Heritage Care Center, Mason City, Iowa.
    A Funeral Mass was held Friday, Oct. 7, at St. Joseph Catholic Church.  The Funeral Mass was celebrated by the Rev. Michael Schueller and concelebrated by the Rev. Msgr. Joseph J. Slepicka.

    Jean was united in marriage to Robert E. Casey, Sr. on Oct. 11, 1944, in Boca Raton, Fla.  They had five children: Michael; Marc (Cherie), Dyersville, Iowa; Robert, Jr. (Cathy), Dunwoody, Ga.; Jean (Matt Berry), Clear Lake; and Theresa (Jeff) Rypel, Greendale, Wis.  Jean and Robert enjoyed 54 years of married life until he passed away in 1998.
    Jean delighted in her eight grandchildren: Cori (Bryan) Turner, Kevin Casey, Amy, Sergei, and Oksana Casey, Katie and Robert Berry, and Kaitlin Rypel, and great-granddaughter, Kendall Turner.
    Jean was born Jan. 19, 1919, in Charles City, Iowa, to William and Kathleen (O’Brien) Lattimer.  Jean graduated in 1936 from St. Joseph Catholic High School in Mason City.  She was trained as a registered nurse at Mercy School of Nursing in Sioux City, Iowa, and was a nursing instructor at St. Joseph Catholic Hospital in Pontiac, Mich.  She was a pediatric nurse at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Mason City for many years.
    Jean was an active member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and involved in many activities in support of Newman Catholic Schools.  She was a member of St. Cecelia Circle.  Jean and Robert enjoyed distributing communion to shut-ins.  Jean was a volunteer advocate for persons with disabilities and helped to improve the lives of many young people.  She enjoyed her rose garden, genealogy research, fishing, and traveling with Robert.
    Jean is survived by four children; grandchildren; a great-granddaughter; sister, Joan Lattimer of Aurora, Colo.; sisters-in-law, Bev Lattimer, of Caldwell, Idaho and Mary Lou Casey, of McHenry, Ill., and numerous nieces and nephews.
    Jean was preceded in death by her husband, Robert;  son, Michael; parents, William and Kathleen Lattimer; and siblings, Kaye Maring, Miriam Livdalen, Gerald Lattimer, Donald Lattimer, and Robert Lattimer.
    Jean’s family is extremely grateful for the excellent care she received at Heritage Care Center over the past seven years.
    Memorials may be directed to St. Joseph Catholic Church, Newman Catholic Schools, or Hospice of North Iowa.