Helen Wiley

Helen L. Wiley, 86, of Mt. Pleasant, IA, died Saturday, October 28, 2006, at the Park Place Long Term Care Unit. Visitation will begin after 12:00 noon on Tuesday, at the Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel, where the family will receive from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Tuesday evening. Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Dr. Jerry Kelly officiating. Burial will be in the Forest Home Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established to the First Presbyterian Church. Born May 17, 1920, on the family farm, two miles east of Lowell, IA, Helen was the daughter of Louis and Edna Pearl Britton DeLong. When Helen was eight her family moved to Salem, IA, where her parents purchased a grocery store. Helen graduated from Salem High School in 1936. She attended Iowa Wesleyan College for two years and then started teaching at Hickory Grove School, north of Mt. Pleasant. While continuing to teach, she moved with her family to New London, IA in 1938. She married Jean C. Wiley on May 2, 1941, in her parents' home. He preceded her in death on February 11, 1986. For six years Helen lived in San Francisco, while Jean was in the service. The couple moved to Mt. Pleasant in 1948. Ten years later, Helen started Humpty Dumpty Preschool, which she ran for 28 years, before retiring from teaching. From 1952 until 2004, Helen was intricately involved in, and continually oversaw the accounting of the family businesses. Helen was a faithful member of the First Presbyterian Church in Mt. Pleasant, where she one of the first women to serve as an elder. She also served as a clerk of session. She was active in the Presbytery and Synod for many years. Helen was involved in every facet of the Sunday School program. She received the Lifetime Award in Mariners and was a member of the Ruth Circle. Helen played Bridge in various clubs. Her greatest love was spending time with all children, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Helen is survived by her sons, Don Wiley and his wife Kathy, Duane Wiley and his wife Martha, and Kevin Wiley and his wife Dawn, all of Mt. Pleasant, IA; one brother, Maurice DeLong of CA; and one sister Ruth DeLong Peterson of Wayland, IA. Helen is also survived by five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Helen was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Jean, and a brother Newell DeLong.