Helen Irene (Bloomfield) Harke

April 5, 1914 - Jan. 17, 2015

SOUTH BEND - Helen Irene Harke, at the glorious age of 100, passed away on Saturday evening, January 17, 2015 at The Sanctuary of St. Paul's. Born to William and Lavern (Wiseman) Bloomfield in South Bend on April 5, 1914, her father was killed in a motorcycle accident when she was three months old.

Much of her childhood was spent on her Grandparent Wiseman's farm in Green Township. There she began to drive at the age of twelve. No license was necessary at that time, and she drove for an additional 82 years. Helen graduated from South Bend Central High School in 1933.

She met her future husband in 1931 and on September 4, 1937 she married Milton Harke at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Milton passed away October 19, 2002.

Helen taught Sunday school at St. Paul's for over twenty years. She was involved in Home Economics Club and Mother's study groups while her children were in school. During the fifties she did substitute teaching and later worked for twenty years at J.C. Penney in the boys department, retiring in 1975. Helen spent summers canning fruits and vegetables grown in their garden. She and Milton loved to travel. They had driven to over forty states and later traveled to all fifty states and many foreign countries. She truly loved to go to basketball and football games, following the Washington Clay Colonials when and where they played.

She is survived by her daughter, Janice Jozwiak (Richard, deceased) of West Lafayette and son, Robert (Sherry) of South Bend; and also four grandchildren, Tamara Harke of South Bend, Julie Rice (Sean) of Indianapolis, Kirsten Galasso (Jim) of Edwardsburg, MI and David Jozwiak (Lelia) of Fowler, IN. Also surviving are six great-grandchildren, Josh and Johnathon Rice, Nick and Jake Galasso, Samantha Jozwiak, and Drake Harke, and a sister, Betty Woods (Louis) of Elkhart, IN.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Milton and son-in-law, Richard Jozwiak.

The family would like to thank everyone at The Sanctuary of St. Paul's for their wonderful care and support they had given Helen.

Visitation and Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, January 21, 2015, at The Sanctuary of St. Paul's, 3602 S. Ironwood Dr., South Bend, IN officiated by Pastor Gregory Fiechtner. Visitation from 11:00 am-1:00, and funeral service at 1:00 pm followed by burial at Southlawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions in Helen's memory may be made to St. Paul's Lutheran Church, South Bend, IN, Purdue University Cancer Research, West Lafayette, IN or the organization of your choice. Kaniewski Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. To send online condolences, please visit kaniewski.com.

Source: FindAGrave.com

04/18/2025 EJS

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/141522502/helen_irene-harke