Helen Swailes

Helen C. Swailes, 81, of Mt. Pleasant, IA, passed away Monday, September 5, 2016, at her home.Visitation will begin after 2:00 p.m., on Friday, September 9, 2016, at Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel in Mt. Pleasant, where the family will greet friends from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. that evening. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., on Saturday, September 10, 2016, at Calvary Baptist Church, with Pastor Mike Hess officiating. Burial will be in Forest Home Cemetery. Gifts of love and friendship may be given to Calvary Baptist Church or Great River Hospice. On-line condolences may be directed to www.olsonpowell.com. Born in Brookfield, WI, on May 3, 1935, Helen Carol was the daughter of Harvey John and Evelyn Mattie Hahn Celley. She graduated from Waukesha High School. Helen attended Iowa Wesleyan College, receiving a B.A. degree in education and then went on to earn an M.A. degree in multi-categorical Special Education from the University of Iowa. She married Rex Curtis Swailes on June 8, 1958, at the First United Methodist Church in Brookfield, WI.Helen began her career teaching elementary school in Agency, Danville and Mt. Pleasant. In 1963, she took a teaching job for Towers School at M.H.I. in Mt. Pleasant. For many years Helen taught Special Education in the Mt. Pleasant School District. Upon her retirement, she became a consultant for the Great River A.E.A. in West Burlington. A member of the Calvary Baptist Church, Helen belonged to the Lydian Circle and Ladies Bible Study. Helen's highest priority was her family and most especially her grandchildren.She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and enjoyed socializing with school teachers at a Friday morning coffee club. She liked doing crossword puzzles, listening to Rush Limbaugh, gardening with her husband, and exercising at Curves and the Rec Center. Along with her loving husband of fifty-eight years, Helen is survived by a son, Rob (Brenda) Swailes of Cedar Falls, IA; two grandchildren, Sarah and John Swailes of Cedar Falls, IA; and two sisters, Betty Langdon of Wyomissing, PA, and Marjorie Mitchell of Pewaukee, WI. Helen was preceded in death by her parents; a son in infancy; and a sister Grace Evelyn Celley. Cemetery Details Forest Home Cemetery South Walnut Street Mt. Pleasant, IA, 52641 Visitation SEP 9. 02:00 PM - 07:00 PM Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel 709 Mapleleaf Drive Mt Pleasant, IA, US, 52641 olsonpowell@lisco.com Family will be present SEP 9. 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel 709 Mapleleaf Drive Mt Pleasant, IA, US, 52641 olsonpowell@lisco.com Funeral Service SEP 10. 02:00 PM Calvary Baptist Church 803 E. Mapleleaf Drive Mt. Pleasant, IA, US, 52641 http://calvaryconnections.org