Helen Marie Paul, 71, of Muscatine, passed away on Sunday, October 17, 2021, at home.
Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 23, 2021, at St. Andrews Catholic Church, Blue Grass. The Reverend Robert Grant and Deacon Terry Starns will officiate. Burial will take place in Parr Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4 until 7 p.m. on Friday, October 22, 2021, at the church, will a Vigil Service to be held at 7 p.m. Memorials may be made to St. Andrews Catholic Church or Friends of Muscatine FFA for a scholarship fund. The Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home will be in charge of arrangements. Online Condolences: www.wittichfuneralhome.com
Helen was born on November 20, 1949, in Davenport, the daughter of AJ and Phyllis DeCook Matthys. She married Martin Paul on December 29, 1973, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Davenport.
She graduated from Assumption High School, earned her bachelor’s degree from Marycrest, and her master’s in Education from Western Illinois University. After 33 years of teaching, she retired from Buffalo Elementary. She was also co-owner and worked at the family-owned Buffalo Savings Bank for 50+ years. Helen was always willing to get her hands dirty on the family farm. She helped with any job and daily chores her whole married life.
She was a member of St. Andrews Catholic Church in Blue Grass. She was a 4-H leader and taught Sunday School. She volunteered and supported her children’s activities and was very active on the Muscatine Booster Club during her children’s high school years. She volunteered at Grant School supporting her grandchildren and attending her nieces and nephews events. Helen was very family oriented and gave her time and talents abundantly to her family. Her grandchildren were the light of her life.
Helen will be greatly missed by her husband, Martin A. Paul of Muscatine; two children, Sam Paul and wife, Lisa, of Muscatine, and Elizabeth Miller and husband, Sean, of Davenport; six grandchildren, Kensley, Kaylin, and Kara Paul, and August, Paul, and Henry Miller; eight siblings, James (Jackie) Matthys of Davenport, Mary Graap of Bettendorf, Carol (Fred) Sbardellati of California, Sarah (Frank) Cunningham of Colorado, Tricia (Larry) Bouma of Pennsylvania, Tina Gipple of Blue Grass, Tom (Deb) Matthys of South Dakota, and Michael (Hollie) Matthys of Eldridge; sister-in-law, Margaret Huff of Keosauqua; and many nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents, and infant sister, Phyllis.
