Helene Brend

Helene Ann Gunderson Brend passed away on December 20, 2011 at the Hillsboro Medical Center Nursing Home at the age of 83.

Helene Ann Gunderson was born on May 21, 1928 on the family farm east of Cummings, ND.  She was the first of eleven children born to Gustav E and Hilda (Gustafson) Gunderson.  She grew up on the family farm east of Cummings, North Dakota and went to school at Irvin No. 4 until the family moved to Buxton, North Dakota.  After they moved she attended school in Buxton and lived on a farm just a mile to the east of there.  She was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Buxton and was active in Ladies Aid and Circle.

Helene was married on June 10, 1948 to Lawrence Peter Brend at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Buxton and moved to a farm 2 miles north of Cummings, North Dakota where they lived for many years until they moved into Cummings in 1973.  Lawrence passed away in 1979.  Helene moved into Hillsboro in 1986.

She worked as a Certified Nurses Aid at the Hillsboro Medical Center Nursing Home for 30 years until her retirement in October of 1996.

Helene was a member at Our Saviors Lutheran church in Hillsboro and was an active member in Ladies Aid and Circle.

Helene is survived by her son, Lyle (Pat) Brend, Bismarck, ND; daughter, Julie (Gerald) Kirchmeier, Ada, MN, and son, Gary (Vicki) Brend, Hutchinson, KS; grandchildren, Hilary Brend (Bob) Bertsch, West Fargo, ND, Nathan Brend, Seattle, WA, Ashley Brend (Jared) Lenz, Eden Prairie, MN, Jeremy (Noor) Kirchmeier, Hillsboro, ND, Jonathan Kirchmeier, Fergus Falls, MN, Janine Kirchmeier, Fargo, ND, and Emily Brend, Hutchinson, KS; great-grandchildren, Haley Molitor, Alex and Aidan Bertsch, Ella Brend, Olivia Lenz, and Hans and Aaron Kirchmeier.

Also surviving are her sisters, Mavis (Bill) Couchigain, Grand Forks, ND, Rosalie Lindstrom, Grand Forks, ND, Diane Kvitne, Hillsboro, ND; brothers, Myron (Donna) Gunderson, Bismarck, ND, Gordon (Theoline) Gunderson, Mayville, ND, Rodney (Lila Jean) Gunderson, Mayville, ND, Wallace (Marilyn) Gunderson, Grand Forks, ND, Dennis (Lorna) Gunderson, Grand Forks, ND; sister-in-law, Valerie Gunderson.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence Brend; parents, Gust and Hilda; brothers, Orville and Gayhart Gunderson; and sister-in-law, Mary Ann Gunderson.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Hillsboro Medical Center or to Hospice of the Red River Valley.