Helen Mae Maltby

Helen Mae Maltby, 100 years young, was called to her Heavenly Home on Saturday, April 10th, 2021 in Essentia-Health Moose Lake. She was born in a log cabin on the Dahlen Family Farm, east of Sturgeon Lake, on August 24th, 1920 to Carl and Alma (Johnson) Dahlen.

Helen grew up in the area and attended a one room country school until 8th grade before graduating from Willow River High School in 1938. She went off to Superior State Teacher’s College for two years, while caretaking for a local family in exchange for her room and board. After her time at college, Helen worked as a secretary at the Moose Lake Creamery. She married Donald Maltby on January 16th, 1943 in the Blomskog Church, Sturgeon Lake. They moved to Carlton to start a family where Helen was active in the Bethesda Lutheran Church. They grew the neighborhood’s largest garden, and every year, Helen would can enough to feed a small army! In the early 1980’s, the Maltby Family moved back to Moose Lake to be near relatives. Helen was a devoted member of Hope Lutheran Church; playing an active role in the Martha Circle, being very generous with the Hope Lutheran Youth, and enjoying all of the time she spent with the Busy Bee’s quilting group, even into her recent years when they would visit Kenwood Assisted Living. She was a fabulous embroiderer, making gifts like pillow cases and dish towels, and enjoyed sewing and reading; especially poetry. For the past ten years, Helen was an avid bingo player. More importantly than anything else, family was her true joy. Helen was always interested in what her children were doing, taking special interest in her nieces and nephews, and was always looking forward to phone calls and visits with her siblings.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Donald, in 1998; her parents; and sisters, Bernice Nelson, Lois Telker, and Lila Haglund.

Her memory will be cherished by her children, Darrell (Marcia) Maltby and Joy (Brian) Fragodt; brother, Ervin Dahlen; sister, Norma Petschl; Godson, Kurt Petersen; two grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, a private family memorial service was held in Hope Lutheran Church, Moose Lake. The recorded funeral can be viewed online at www.hopeofmooselake.com/sermons. Cards may be mailed to the Helen Maltby Family c/o Hamlin-Hansen-Kosloski Funeral Home, P.O. Box 338 Moose Lake, MN 55767. Inurnment will take place in Blomskog Cemetery at a future date.

Arrangements are with Hamlin-Hansen-Kosloski Funeral Home.