Helen Gail Jansen

April 19, 1931 - March 4, 2016

Funeral services for Helen Jansen, age 84, will be held on Tuesday, March 8 at the Knoxville Church of the Nazarene at 1:00 p.m. Burial will follow in the Graceland Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Monday at the Bybee & Davis Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Teen Challenge of the Midlands or the Royal Family Kids Camp. Online condolences may be left at BertrandFuneralHomes.com. Helen Gail Jansen was born April 19, 1931 in New Sharon, Iowa the daughter of Claudius and Mae (Andrews) Eflin. She graduated from New Sharon High School and on February 24, 1951 Helen was united in marriage to Loren Wayne Jansen at the New Sharon Assembly of God Church. The couple lived in Sully and New Sharon until purchasing their farm southwest of Knoxville in 1958. Helen was active on the family farm and operated an upholstery business at the home for over 40 years. She also enjoyed making quilts for family, friends, missions, the Teen Challenge and abused children. Helen was always involved in her church, especially in the women’s and children’s ministries, missions, Sunday School and Teen Challenge. Helen passed away Friday, March 4, 2016 at her home, surrounded by her children, at the age of 84 years. She was preceded in death by her parents, Claudius and Mae Eflin, husband, Wayne and her sister, Dorothy Whiteman. She is survived by her children: Ron (Debbie) Jansen of North Canton, Ohio, Gloria Tesdell of Urbandale, Iowa, James (Rene’e) Jansen of Des Moines, Iowa and Cheryl (Rick) James of Pleasantville, Iowa; 8 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren and siblings: Lloyd (Delaine) Eflin of Oviedo, Florida and Lois Stephen of New Sharon, Iowa and many other family members and friends.