Helen Fett

A kind and genuine woman, Helen Fett will be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend to those who knew and loved her. With a flair for fashion from her earliest years, Helen's sense of style was unmatched. Having led a full and rich life, she was grateful for all she had but especially the love of family. Sadly missed, she will be fondly remembered in the hearts of those she held dear. A decade of industrial expansion, the Roaring 20s was an era of prosperity and good fortune for the Americans. American's flocked to movie houses where Charlie Chaplin entertained audiences and speakeasies satisfied their thirst for music of the day. In the industrial city of Muskegon, Michigan, John and Anna (Butti) Juhas were enjoying prosperity of their own when on November 22, 1922 they welcomed the birth of their daughter, Helen. Growing up alongside her older brother and sister, John and Elizabeth, Helen later welcomed Margaret and Hazel, her younger sisters. Raised in their family home on Leahy Street in Muskegon Heights, Helen's father worked in a brass foundry and her mother, a homemaker, looked after Helen and her siblings. From early on Helen was all girl and prided herself in dressing up and looking pretty. Although English was their language of choice, Helen grew up with the values of her Hungarian heritage and spoke fluent Hungarian. Wine making was prevalent with their heritage as well and her father often made a red wine called, Bulls Blood which Helen was known to sneak a sample of a time or two. They also grew mushrooms but Helen was fearful they might be poisonous and vowed never to eat them. In fact, throughout her life she always asked if anything she was about to eat had mushrooms in it. She was also afraid of the water and rarely went swimming, but motorcycles scared her, especially after her brother's friend was killed in a motorcycle accident. Sunday afternoons were always enjoyed as a family visiting relatives. Over the years Helen became quite close to a dear Hungarian lady named Mrs. Kruchel with whom she shared a special friendship. Mrs. Kruchel took Helen under her wing and looked out for her, especially when boys came calling on Helen. Having grown into a pretty young woman, Helen attended Muskegon Heights Public Schools active in Glee Club and Chorus. She made life-long friendships especially with Joycelyn Fosdick and Rejane Bogen and went on to graduate with the Class of 1940. Manufacturing jobs flourished once again as the economy slowly picked up after the Depression. Especially evident when the U.S. became involved in World War II, Helen took the opportunity to begin working at the Norge Plant in Muskegon Heights. Before long Helen met the young man who stole her heart. While attending a service dance in Muskegon she was introduced to Navy Ensign Owen George Fett who was enamored with Helen's cute and feisty nature. Over the next year they dated and soon fell in love. They were happily married on November 16, 1945 in a ceremony at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Grand Haven where they eventually became longtime members. Initially they resided in Muskegon where son Daniel was born in 1947. Shortly thereafter they moved to a small new house on Grant St. in Grand Haven where son Greg was born in 1949 and Brad in 1951. When the new highway (U.S. 31) was built in 1953 it forced Owen's parents out of their home on Franklin St. and the family moved to a larger home on Colfax St. while Owen's parents moved to the home on Grant St. In 1956 the family moved to a brand new spacious brick house on Arlington St. where they spent most of their years. Helen was a good homemaker and cared for her family well. Although she had her hands full with three active boys, she tended to be the lenient one while her kids received their father's discipline upon his return home from work each day. Throughout the years they enjoyed wonderful Christmas seasons in Bradenton or Sarasota, Florida during the kids holiday school breaks. Helen was a lover of the sun but never got quite as burnt as her boys did one year after their car broke down in Alabama. She and the boys spent the entire day under the sun at the motel pool while their car was being repaired and needless to say, she had to keep them out of the sun when they reached their destination in Florida. As a family they also made a memorable trip to the 1962 Worlds Fair held in Seattle, Washington. They drove there in their new 1962 Ford and visited all the sights along the way. At a restaurant in Seattle, Roy Rogers was at the table next to them but they were too shy to approach him. Like her own childhood, Sunday's were spent visiting her parents or Owens' where they enjoyed delicious meals together. Another aspect from Helen's growing up years included her desire to be fashionable. With a love for shopping, clothes and jewelry became her passion. She and Owen also loved to travel. They enjoyed trips to Las Vegas where they took in a little gambling. Over the years the family had several dogs and later in life Owen and Helen enjoyed the company of their two cats Leo and Patches as well as Kiwi the talking parakeet. When her husband Owen passed away in 2008 Helen moved to an area nursing home. On Saturday, March 5, 2011 Helen went to be with her Lord at the age of 88. She will be fondly remembered and deeply missed in the hearts of many. She is survived by her three sons: Daniel (Deborah) Fett of Grand Haven, Gregory (Cynthia) Fett of Toledo Ohio and Bradly (Cheri) Fett of Muskegon; five grandchildren: Jennifer and Lisa Fett, Michael and Adam Fett, Jacqueline Fett; five great-grandchildren: Vincent, Domenick, Philomena, Kori and Kyler; sister, Hazel (Edward) Edlund of Roosevelt Park. She was preceded in death by her husband, Owen in 2008; grandson, Daniel Fett; sisters, Margaret Detloff and Elizabeth Radatz; brother, John Juhas. SERVICE: Thursday, March 10, 2011, 1:00 PM at Clock Life Story Funeral Home-Grand Haven with Rev. Dieter E. Haupt officiating. Interment at Lake Forest Cemetery. VISITATION: Thursday, one hour prior to the service at Clock Life Story Funeral Home-Grand Haven. MEMORIAL: Hospice of North Ottawa or North Ottawa Humane Society. Please visit www.clockfuneralhome.com to leave a memory or photo of Helen or to sign her online guest book.