Helen Julia (Schmitt) Noska, beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother passed away at the age of 93 at Stoney Brook Village, West Union on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
Helen was born December 5, 1932 on a farm south of St. Lucas, Iowa. She was the daughter of William and Anna (Kuennen) Schmitt one of eight siblings. Baptized and confirmed in her Catholic faith she graduated from the eighth grade at St. Lucas Catholic School in St. Lucas, Iowa.
Helen worked at home after graduation until she met her husband Eugene at the Inwood Ballroom in Spillville, Iowa. On November 12, 1951 she was united in marriage to Eugene Noska at St. Luke Catholic Church in St. Lucas, Iowa. Of this union, they were blessed with three children, Jean, Mary Lou and Marvin and blessed together for sixty three years of marriage.
They started their marriage farming near West Union. When they retired they moved into town. Helen then worked for the North Fayette High School seventeen years in food service in West Union. Helen enjoyed having coffee with friends, her many bridge groups, traveling and playing euchre with her Stoney Brook friends and visiting the casino. Most of all spending time with her family. Helen was a devoted member of Holy Name Church, Holy Name Rosary Society and a sixty year member of Catholic Daughters of America.
Helen is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Jean (Dave) Kamaus, and daughter-in-law, Sheila Noska; grandchildren, Shari (Dan) McElree, Shawn Kamaus, Justin (Marin) Noska and Jared Noska; great-grandchildren, Hunter McElree, Hailey (Cody) Baumler and Mabel Noska and two step-grandchildren, Andy Roach and fiancée, Hailie and Ashley (Phil) Bloomfield; three step great-grandchildren, Charley, Andie and Abel. She is also survived by a sister-in-law, Norma Schmitt and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Helen was preceded in death by her parents, William and Anna Schmitt; a sister, Rita in infancy; her daughter, Mary Lou in 1971; her husband, Eugene in 2013; son, Marvin in 2021 and a granddaughter, Stacy in 2025. Helen’s siblings and spouses departed are sisters, Della and (Leo) Langreck, Irma and (Leonard) Bullerman, Lucy and (Urban) Dietzenbach, brothers, Arthur and (Agnes) Schmitt, Edmund Schmitt, Alex and Shirley Schmitt, Gerald and (Rosetta) Schmitt.
May Helen rest in peace with her many memories as blessings and a thank-you to the Stoney Brook staff and Gundersen-Palmer Hospice for all the wonderful care and compassion.
A Visitation will be held from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Sunday, January 18, 2026 at Burnham-Wood-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service in West Union, Iowa. There will be no visitation at the church on Monday morning, please come in and be seated.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 am on Monday, January 19, 2026 at Holy Name Catholic Church in West Union, Iowa with Rev. Ralph Davis as the Celebrant.
Interment will follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in West Union, Iowa.
Burnham-Wood Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of West Union, Iowa is assisting the family with services.