Helen Marie (Gerdes) Walters

Helen Marie Gerdes, the daughter of John and Nellie Jane (Conwell) Gerdes, was born July 17, 1925, on a farm in Wayne County, Iowa. She was baptized in the New Zion Methodist Church, and attended country schools in the area graduating from Corydon High School in 1943. Following her education, Helen served as a clerk at Wright-Patterson Airforce Base in Ohio during World War II. Following the war, she moved to Des Moines where she worked as a telephone switchboard operator. She was united in marriage to Warren Ray Booher and they made their home in Des Moines. She worked as a medical records transcriptionist at various hospitals in Des Moines. In 1965, the couple moved to Manson where Warren owned a barber shop and Helen worked as a legal secretary and then served as secretary to the Superintendent of Manson Schools. She later was employed as a transcriptionist at Trinity Hospital in Fort Dodge until her retirement. Mr. Booher passed away in 1970 and in 1974, she married Gilbert “Gib” Walters, and they made their home at Manson. Gib passed away in 2018 and Helen continued to maintain her home until becoming a resident of the Good Samaritan Center in February of this year. She passed away peacefully there on the morning of October 12, 2022, at the age of 98.

Helen was a member of Our Savior United Methodist Church in Manson where she was active in UMW. She was an accomplished seamstress and took pride in making stoles for church confirmands, school bags for missions, mission pillowcase dresses for little girls, prayer shawls, and hats and booties for infants. She loved gardening and birds, reading, fishing, and traveling.

Helen is survived by her daughter, Kathy Kabler; daughter-in-law, Gladys Booher, stepdaughters, Julie (David) Wierson and Fay (Allen) Lickteig; grandchildren, Calib, Michele (Bob), Doug (Donna), Dan (Katie), Jennifer, Amanda (Dana), Jess, and Crystal (Kirk); 7 great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Warren; husband, Gib; her son, Stephen Booher; daughter, Deidre; son-in-law, Merlin Kabler; siblings, Ihno, Richard, Edward, Ruth, Esther, Hilda, and Emma; and granddaughter-in-law, Samantha Wierson.

Helen’s family would like to extend gratitude for the many kindnesses so generously offered to her by her special neighbors on 8th Avenue, the staff of Good Samaritan Home, Kindred Hospice, and the many others who offered their kindness to Helen.

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