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Helen Gurnett, 84, of Fort Dodge, died Saturday, July 4, 2009 at Trinity Regional Medical Center.

Funeral services will be held 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at Gunderson Funeral Chapel and 1:00 p.m at Corpus Christi Church with Rev. Sunny Dominic celebrating the Mass of Christian Burial. Interment and military honors will be held in Corpus Christi Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00 8:00 p.m. Monday with a vigil service at 7:00 p.m. at Gunderson Funeral Home.

Helen Beryl Newsum, the daughter of Hemon and Bertha (Hale) Newsum, was born August 26, 1924 in Fort Dodge, Iowa. She graduated from Fort Dodge Senior High School in 1942 and entered the Navy Waves during WWII. After her honorable discharge in 1946 she attended Tobin Business College. She was united in marriage to Harold Gurnett on February 28, 1949. She was employed twenty years at Globe Union working in the stockbase and after retirement worked at Casey's and Land O' Lakes. Faith, family and friends were her life. She enjoyed sewing, cooking, baking, word puzzles and especially bird watching with her close friend Millie Elam. She was a long time member of Holy Rosary Church.

Survivors include her children Patricia (Bob) Winninger of Fort Dodge, Michael (Laura) Gurnett of Otho, Peg (Kevin) Muxfeldt of Story City, Tom (Vivian) Gurnett of Clare, Teri Gurnett of Fort Dodge, Frances (Kurt) Johnson of Vincent, Bill Gurnett and Chuck Gurnett, both of Fort Dodge; her sister LaMerle (Asa) Kendall of MN; her grandchildren Stacy Cartee, Dalton, Devon, Dylan and Dustin Gurnett, Mark and Scott Muxfeldt, Mandy (Bill) Stenzil, Tiffinie Gurnett, Ben, Brittney, and Heather Dencklau and Austin Gurnett; great grandchildren Terra, Tasha, and Torrey Crouse, Christopher Gurnett, Ashley Stenzil, and Caitlyn Lewis; one great grandchild Taylin Crouse; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her twin brother Hemon, her husband Harold Gurnett, granddaughter Danielle and son-in-law Kenny Dencklau.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed towards Trinity Hospice.