Helen M. Courter, 93, passed away on October 20, 2015 at Riverview Health, Noblesville. She was born on November 5, 1921 to Thomas and Mable (Uffert) Miller in Terre Haute, Indiana. She was the oldest of five children. Mom’s father passed away when she was only 16. It was a loss she felt her entire life, and one that influenced her personality. She graduated from Jackson Township High School in Wells County, and worked as an executive secretary in Fort Wayne and Marion before marrying Ralph W. Courter on July 2, 1949. He preceded her in death in 1991.

Helen and Ralph abandoned the comforts of city life, and moved from Marion to the Lonesome Oak Farm in 1959. This was a mutual decision, but probably a move that Dad wanted more than Mom. Dad continued to work at RCA until he retired in 1980, so a lot of the daily farm chores were Mom’s responsibility. Together, Mom and Dad raised their family on the farm, which at various times, included dairy and beef cattle, hogs, sheep, chickens, geese, guineas, dogs, cats, and a pony. The spring was time for planting crops, which were used to feed the livestock. The spring also meant planting a huge garden, which produced fresh fruits and vegetables during the summer. Mom also canned and froze fruits and vegetables, which we enjoyed throughout the year. The summer was time to bale hay and straw, and store it in the haymow for winter use. The fall was harvest time for the crops planted in the spring.

Mom was one of the hardest working women we will ever know. She worked from the time she got up in the morning until she went to bed at night. Her work ethic was second to none. Mom did every farm chore imaginable on a livestock and grain farm – in the stifling heat of summer, and the brutal cold of winter. And when she was done working outside, Mom always made sure we had nutritious meals to eat, clean clothes to wear, and an incredibly clean home to live in. Mom also was extremely organized, meticulous, strong-willed, and very independent. Mom enjoyed family, volunteer, and church activities at the First United Methodist Church, until recent years when her health curtailed her participation.

Mom and Dad grew up during the Depression, and didn’t have the chance to go to college because of their family and financial situations. But higher education was extremely important to both of them. Mom and Dad made sure through their motivation, encouragement, and financial support, that their children received the college, and post-graduate educations they didn’t have the opportunity to pursue.

In addition to her husband, Ralph, Helen is preceded in death by her parents, and brothers, Clyde and Paul, and sister, Mary. She is survived by sons Stacy (Carol) Courter, and Leja (girlfriend, Janet) Courter, and daughter Nyla (Joseph) Catanzaro. Grandchildren include Coleen (Lou) Courter-Sheets, Daren (Carol) Courter, Erick (Anna) Courter, Audrey Courter, Hannah Courter, Jared (Aubrie) Stitz, Lindy (Steven) Stavich, Gayne (Martha) Underwood, Darin (Jil) Underwood and twelve great grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister Patsy Carl, and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family wants to thank Mom’s nephew, and personal physician, Dr. Tom Miller, for his outstanding, loving medical care of Mom during the last two decades of her life. They also want to thank the compassionate staff at Suite Living for their wonderful care of Mom, where she resided for the last couple of years until her recent hospitalization.

Cremation will be handled by Indiana Funeral Care with a memorial service to be set for a later time. Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 624 South Adams Street, Marion, Indiana 46953, or a charity of the donor’s choice