Helen Lavon Wendte, 91, of Effingham, passed away at 10:29 p.m., Monday, July 15, 2013 at St. Anthony Memorial Hospital in Effingham.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, July 18, 2013 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Effingham with burial in Arborcrest Memorial Park. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday evening at Bauer Funeral Home in Effingham and for one hour prior to service time, Thursday morning at the church. Memorials may be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.

Helen was born March 13, 1922 in Effingham County, the daughter of Lloyd and Nellie (Blunt) Wiles. She married Gilbert Stortzum in 1941 and he passed away in 1967. Helen later married Wilbert Wendte in 1985 and he preceded her in death in 2005. She was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Effingham, was a former cook for the Unit 40 School District and was later employed at Walmart in Effingham.

Helen is survived her two sons, Kent (Mary Ann) Stortzum of Effingham and Kevin Stortzum of Lexington, KY; three step-sons, David (Bea) Wendte of Effingham, Roland (Lori) Wendte of Dieterich and J.R. Wendte of Lake Sara; step-daughter, Janet Antonio of Monticello; three grandchildren, Jason (Lisa) Stortzum of Cumming, GA, Kim (Bill) Lane of Dieterich and Aaron (Monica) Stortzum of Teutopolis as well as seven great grandchildren.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; husbands; sister, Mae Poynter, step-daughter, Judy Niebrugge and grandson, Douglas Stortzum.