Helen McIntosh was born on April 6, 1918 in Brooklyn, Missouri, to Auris Harvey (Oak) and Mary Gertrude (Smith) McIntosh. She grew up on the family farm near Brooklyn, Missouri and at the family residence in nearby town of Ridgeway. She attended school in Brooklyn and Ridgeway and later graduated from high school in Skidmore, Missouri. When she was 13 her father died and she and her brother Howard moved in with her older brother Oley to help out on their nearby farm.
Helen’s father and mother had nine children of which she was the second youngest. They were all devoted family members and prized their “McIntosh” heritage. Her parents instilled a strong work ethic and traditional moral values in their children. At 19 Helen married Wilmer Gaddy. This marriage produced four (4) children: Elva Gertrude, Lawrence Dean, Howard Douglas, and George Ronald. At 30 years of age Helen married James Olsen of Valparaiso, Nebraska. They had three children: James Lee, Gerald Wayne, and Julie Ann. After 14 years of marriage, Helen’s husband Jim died, leaving her the challenge of raising her youngest children.
Helen’s upbringing, strong work ethic, and convictions kicked in as she tackled a number of occupations to provide for her family that included: professional modeling, direct sales for Nutri Bio food supplements, managing a cosmetic department for Brandies stores, life insurance sales, rental home management, electrolysis and nail services, owning and operating a bar (Helen’s Hide-A-Way) in Shenandoah, Iowa, and running a day care facility out of her home.
Helen was a woman of faith. She held true to her Christian belief and faith throughout her life and finished strong in her later years. At 90 years of age Helen traveled with her Church group to Jerusalem and was again baptized in the Jordon river. Her regular routine in her independent living included attending Bible Study and watching numerous religious programs on television.
Helen was a joyful and flamboyant woman. She was dedicated to personal health, and was self-educated in personal nutrition. The results of this are exemplified in the fact that she was married five (5) additional times after her first two husbands to: Al Cajacob, Chet Johnson, Larry Hefner, Ben Shenrock, and Willard Gebenrath. She outlived them all.
Helen passed away at her son’s home in Omaha, Nebraska, on March 28, 2018, at the age of 99 years, 11 months and 22 days. She was preceded in death by her parents Auris (Oak) and Mary (Gerty) McIntosh, daughter Elva Gertrude (Trudy), her husbands, her McIntosh siblings including brothers Richard (Dickie), Oland (Oley), John (Johnny), Orris (F.J.), Loren (Goodie) and Howard and sisters Edna Hall and Marjorie Lavely. Helen is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, and daughter: Lawrence and Lynda Gaddy, Howard (Douglas) Olsen, George & Elaine McIntosh, James and Susan Olsen, and Gerald & Jody Olsen, and Julie and Rod Kenkel. She is also survived by eighteen (18) grandchildren, 28 great grandchildren, and nine (9) great-great grandchildren.
Visitation Friday 10:00 AM till service time. Funeral Service Friday 11:00 AM at Christ Community Church 404 S. 108th Ave. Interment Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Roeder Mortuary, Inc. – 108th Street Chapel
2727 N 108th St – Omaha, NE
