Obituary of Helen Allen Rogers

Helen Kathryn Allen Rogers, age 92, died peacefully on Saturday, February 12, 2022. She was born on her family’s farm in Wolsey, South Dakota to Marjorie Mae and Frederick Paul Steuerwald. Helen spent her childhood days tending to her chores on the farm. She and her sisters sang on the radio in the 1940s and the family instilled a love of music to future generations. All came to love reunions which always included singalongs. Despite an early diagnosis of polio and coming of age during The Depression, she was cheerful, kind, and strong, traits that would guide her through the rest of her life. 

It was in South Dakota that Helen met her husband, Laverne “Red” Allen. They were the perfect pair, with Helen supporting Red in his career in education and Red beaming with pride for Helen’s achievements in the home. They had two daughters, Cynthia and Brenda, who were the center of their world. Together they built a cabin in Jonesville, where they would spend their summers as a family. 

It was in raising her daughters and tending to her home that Helen found her greatest joy in life. An accomplished seamstress, cook, and homemaker, she welcomed all into her home. Her grandchildren will remember Grandma Helen for her pumpkin pies, and will always cherish their Christmas stockings she sewed for them. 

After her husband’s death in 1986 she went back to work at Koret as a quality control inspector and advanced up the ranks. In spite of loss, she had a zest for life. In those years, she traveled frequently with her family and friends. 

She was blessed in life to find love twice, and in 1995 married Donald Rogers. Together, they traveled the world, visiting Greece, Australia, and the Middle East, and they always looked forward to their annual winter RV trips to Palm Desert, CA or Mesa, AZ. You could always catch them on a weekend watching football games. 

Helen is preceded in death by her first husband, Red, her parents, Fred and Marjorie, and her siblings, Don Steuerwald, Wilfred Steuerwald, and Janice Boe. She is survived by her sisters Marion Pech and Clarice (Bill) McManus. She is also survived by her husband, Donald Rogers, her daughters, Cynthia (Bruce) McGowan and Brenda (John) Nivinski, her grandchildren, Nicole, Chantelle (Joe), Matthew, Marilyn, Houston, and Danielle, and two great grandchildren, Barrett and Suzanna.

Graveside services will be held at 10am, Mon., Feb. 21, at Glen Oaks Memorial Park.