17 Apr Helen Magilke

Helen Magilke, 85, passed away unexpectedly on April 12, 2024, at Sunset Drive Care Center, Mandan.   Her quick wit and charm were contagious. Helen’s kind and generous spirit will be missed by all who knew her.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 20, 2024, at the Church of Ascension, Bismarck.  The burial will be at Mandan Union Cemetery.  Visitation will be held on Friday, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Bismarck Funeral Home with Rosary/vigil service beginning at 7 p.m. and continue at the church one hour prior to the service on Saturday.

Helen was born Helen Agnes Grinsteiner, November 8, 1938, in Strasburg, ND. She was the daughter of Wendelin and Armelia (Keller) Grinsteiner. She graduated from Strasburg High School.

Helen married Leo Schumacher on June 18, 1956. To this union they were blessed with 3 children, Gregory, Sandra, and Patricia. The farmed for a short time in the Hague area before moving to Deadwood, SD. They moved back in 1966 where Helen held a variety of jobs until she started working with The Bismarck Credit Bureau where she excelled and became office manager. She was very proud of her career with the credit bureau and the business thrived under her management. Helen boasted about her ability to call any financial institution without having to look up the phone numbers as she had them all memorized. Helen was also very active outside of her work, filling her time with softball and gardening in the summer and bowling and going out dancing with friends in the winter. Helen was an active member of the Church of Ascension, volunteering to help anyway she could.

On May 24, 1990, Helen married the love of her life, John Magilke. They were a blessing to each other for 25 years, they had some of the best days of their lives together full of love and laughter. They were the twinkle in each other’s eyes. They enjoyed spending time on the dance floor, going to casinos, finding treasures at rummage sales, playing cards, fishing, and most of all spending time with family. Johnny passed away in 2015 and she missed him dearly.

Helen’s family meant the world to her. She was a very nurturing and attentive mother and grandmother. Helen was an awesome cook with some of her families’ favorite meals being the German staples such as creamed chicken and borscht.

Helen was well known and respected as a member of the Lincoln City Council and as manager of the Lewis and Clark River Boat during its beginning years. It was a special treat for her to have her family and friends ride the riverboat with her.

Helen is survived by her son, Greg (Allison) Schumacher;  daughters, Sandy Schumacher and Patty Wetzel; 4 grandchildren, Lisa (Cody) Adolphson, Michael Schumacher, Benjamin Schumacher all of Bismarck and Carly (Jake) Meyer, Orient, SD; 4 great grandchildren, Kristen & Marcus Bird Horse and Emma & John Meyer; two sisters, Cathy Schacht, Eugene, OR and Florence Hauer, Phoenix, AZ and many nieces and nephews.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband, John; parents, Wendelin and Armelia; brothers, Joseph, Marcus, Eugene; her infant sister, Alice and her granddaughter-in-law, Ashley Plante Schumacher.