Helen’s life began June 14, 1927, in St. Joseph, Michigan. She grew up the youngest of eight children in Riverside. Helen graduated from St. Joseph Catholic School in St. Joseph. After graduation she attended Nazareth College earning a degree in teaching. Helen then taught school in Grand Rapids for a year, leaving teaching to marry Bernard Herman in 1950 to raise their family and work with him on the family farm. Helen’s life revolved around faith and family. She enjoyed being a mom to her six children and spent many lunch times volunteering for playground duty at St. Joseph Catholic School in Watervliet. Helen played piano, crocheted, and was an active member of the Altar and Rosary Society at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Watervliet. She was known as a “bead sister” because of her love of praying the rosary and was famous for her incredible celebratory meals, cherry pies and a cookie jar that never emptied. Throughout their life together Helen and Bernard loved to take meandering cross country road trips, often with special companions Ed and Geraldine Broderick. Helen traversed a million miles in a life that took her from Hagar to Bainbridge.
Helen’s greatest joy was spending time with her loving family which includes: six children Mary (Ed) Robinson of Portage, Thomas (Maureen) Herman of Grand Rapids, Stephen Herman of Kentwood, Joseph (Susan) Herman of Benton Harbor, Maureen (Robert) Saltzman of Coloma, and Robert (Sandy) Herman of Coloma; 13 grandchildren; six great grandchildren; a special niece and caregiver Sandra Herman; and many other nieces and nephews.
Helen died Thursday, February 11, 2016, at home. She is preceded in death by her husband Bernard in 2008, parents William and Mary (Hefron) Daly, and seven siblings; Mary Theisen, Alice Davis, Agnes Greiner, Margaret Foulkes, Rosie Smith, Peter Daly, and Edward Daly and all their spouses. Friends may visit with Helen’s family Friday, February 12, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM where the Rosary will be prayed at 7:30 PM at Hutchins Funeral Home in Watervliet, MI. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday, February 13, at 11:00 AM at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Watervliet, burial will follow in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Watervliet. You may leave a memory for Helen’s family at hutchinsfuneral.com