Helen Krause Purtell, age 84, of Elkhart Lake and formerly of Berlin, Wisconsin, died Monday October 14, 2013, at St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan. Born on March 23, 1929, in Berlin, Wisconsin, the daughter of Conrad and Barbara (Rossman) Krause, Helen married John Purtell in 1957 at St. John Cathedral in Milwaukee.
Employed as a legal secretary, Helen worked for the Law Office of Foley & Lardner in Milwaukee and Sidley & Austin Law Office in Chicago totaling 24 years until her retirement in 1994. She was a member of St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church in Oshkosh.
Throughout Helen's life she traveled extensively across both the United States and the world. Helen visited many notable gardens and museums. She enjoyed the fine arts and spending time with her family and friends.
Survivors includes a brother, Robert (Eleanor) Krause of Berlin; two nephews, Conrad Krause and Paul Krause, both of Berlin; a niece, Stephanie Krause of Fond du Lac; two grandnieces, Courtney (Bryan) Donati of Dayton, Ohio, and Magan (Salman) Umar of Massapequa, NY; a grandnephew, Adam (Kathy) Krause of Long Beach, NY; and great-grandnieces and nephews, Haley, Chandler, and Elleanor Donati, Nile and Layla Umar, and Stella Krause.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, October 23, 2013, at 11:00 a.m. in St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church, 830 S. Westhaven Dr., with Father Douglas LeCaptain officiating. A time of visiting and sharing of memories will be held on Wednesday from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the church. To send online condolences to the family and sign the guest book please visit www.seefeldfuneral.com.