Helen Billing, 90, Minot, died Sunday, December 2, 2007, at Trinity Home in Minot from Alzheimer's Disease.

Helen, born February 5, 1917 in Bismarck, was the second of 16 children born to Leon and Bertha (Hansen) Webster. She was raised in that area and, as the oldest girl in the family, had a lot of responsibility helping care for the younger children. When she was 17, she went to Minnesota to take care of her elderly grandparents. There she met and married her husband, Aaron, on July 15, 1935. They farmed in Minnesota for eight years and moved in 1943 with their four children to Minot, where their fifth child was born.

Helen loved her role as wife, mother and housekeeper. When the last of her children started school, she began to work part-time helping many people clean their homes and caring for the elderly. She had a need to "do for" others and always enjoyed having a group of her widowed friends over for supper or helping care for others. She had a huge garden until she was 84, and always had enough vegetables to share with others. Her favorite hobby was walking, often three miles a day all over town, even after a hip replacement. She put many miles on her walker in the halls of the Trinity Home into her 90's. Helen read everything from magazines to Shakespeare. She always regretted that she was unable to continue school after the eighth grade because she was needed at home. When she was 69, she took the GED test and passed the first time. She was very proud of her high school diploma. She enjoyed listening to gospel and classical music, especially Pavarotti singing opera. Helen was a member of Zion Lutheran Church for about 60 years. She was also a long-time TOPS member. Some of her favorite times were the family gatherings with her many relatives in both North Dakota and Minnesota, and baby-sitting her grandchildren and great-grandchildren when they were little.

Survivors: Three children and their spouses, Carl and Vivian Billing, Minot; Rosemary and Ron Fassl, Martinez, CA; Sharon and Jim Roy, San Jose, CA; son-in-law Jim Gaddis, Mandan; 12 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; seven sisters and two brothers.

Helen was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 45 years, Aaron; her son Donald and daughter, Faye Gaddis; one sister and five brothers.

Funeral: Saturday, December 15, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, Minot.

Visitation: Friday, December 14, 2007 from 2:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in the Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot.

Burial: Sunset Memorial Gardens, Minot.

Memorials: Anne Carlson School for Crippled Children, Jamestown; or the Alzheimer's Association.

Officiant: Rev. John Streccius

Music: Hardy Lieberg, vocalist will offer: "I Believe" and "Ave Maria"

Congregational Hymns: "How Great Thou Art" and "In The Garden"
Dr. Mark Dimond, organist

Honorary Bearers: Helen's family and friends

Active Bearers
Helen's grandsons and great-grandsons
Russell Billing, Mark Gaddis, Nicholas Settel, Kyle Settel, Bradley Evans, Derek Telehey