Helen Agnes Loftus, 101, of Hastings, Michigan, formerly of Greenville, passed away on January 12, 2013 at Woodlawn Meadows Retirement Home in Hastings. She was born on May 16, 1911, in Madison, WI, the daughter of Otto and Anna (Wilhelm) Schmidt.
Helen attended the University of Wisconsin. She married Deane Boughten Loftus on June 7, 1937, and they moved to Detroit, MI. In 1954 they moved to Greenville, MI. Helen was always interested in the arts. She loved her family, home, sewing, and was an avid gardener all her life. Golfing is something she also enjoyed. She was a volunteer at the Greenville Hospital, and was a member of St. Charles Catholic Church in Greenville, MI.
She is survived by one sister, Dorothy Hartman, and niece, Jeanne Hartman, Oak Park, IL; one daughter, Carol Bidstrup, son-in-law, David Bidstrup; Parkersburg, West Virginia; one son, Dr. Stephen Loftus, daughter-in-law, Kay, Hastings, MI; grandchildren, Lisa Goetze, (Stephen), Shaker Heights, OH, and Mark Bidstrup,(Beth), Westerville, OH.; Amy Tuitel (Donald), East Grand Rapids, Mi, and Anna Loftus, Chicago, IL; nine great grandchildren, Paul Goetze, Joshua Goetze, Shaker Heights, OH, Drew Bidstrup, Evan Bidstrup, Noah Bidstrup, Westerville, OH. Jared Tuitel, Margaret Tuitel, Helen Tuitel, Elizabeth Tuitel, East Grand Rapids, MI, She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Deane in 1997, her sister, Geniveve Winter, and her brother, Irvin Schmidt.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m.Thursday, January 17, 2013 at St. Charles Catholic Church in Greenville, MI. with Rev. Father Darrell Kempf as celebrant. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 6 to 8 PM at Hurst Funeral Home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Barry County Community Foundation, 231 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058.
