Helen M. Smith

Helen M. Smith, 100, of Chippewa Falls, died Sunday, July 26, 2026, at Our House Assisted Living while under the care of St. Croix Hospice. A life well lived!

She was born April 14, 1926, in Lincoln, Nebraska to Christ and Anna (Kaplan) Schlecht. Her younger days were spent on the family farm with a one-room school, a horse, and no electricity or running water. At age 13 the family moved to the Kenosha, WI area where her family (father and brothers) took employment and management on a corporate farm.

Helen started high school in a very different environment in Kenosha. She had the opportunity to work in the house on the corporate farm, which was used on weekends by the owners, and provided her with a much more modern world to learn and thrive in.

In her early teens she met Wendell Smith, and they married in 1944. The couple lived in Paris, WI where they had their first home. Judy Ann was born in 1947 and Cheryl Marie in 1952. They later moved to Cross Plains, WI and in 1960 moved to Oregon, WI where Wendell and Helen began the American Family Insurance Agency. Together they maintained and grew the agency office until retirement. They were members of First Christian Church, and they helped to start Westwood Christian Church of Madison.

Helen was a woman of great faith, and was active in church with bible school, women’s groups and committees, and served as a Sunday school teacher. She also spent a lot of time with the Homemaker’s Group and Oregon Senior Center.

Wendell passed away in 2011, so Helen ventured north to Chippewa Falls and made it her home ever since. She was welcomed to the area by numerous ladies and groups which made her later years a pleasure. She found true joy in the final chapter of her life at the Chippewa Falls Senior Center, Landmark Christian Church, Home Makers, and the community garden at Landmark.

Helen is survived by her two daughters, Judy Smith of Elgin, IL, and Cheryl (Ken) Nyhus of Chippewa Falls; two grandsons, Michael Nyhus and Christopher (Tessa) Nyhus both of Chippewa Falls; great-grandchildren, Blakely, Veronica, Zack, Henry, and Max Nyhus; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Wendell in 2011; brothers, Edward and Alvie Schlecht; and sister, Vlasta Ashby.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, August 7 at Landmark Christian Church, 4040 126th Street Chippewa Falls with Rev. Mark Williams officiating. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. at the church.

A private interment will be at Eagleton Cemetery in the town of Eagle Point at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Landmark Christian Church.