Helen H. Busch Obituary
Helen Hermina Busch was born February 5, 1923, to Theresa and Anthony Busch. She was their first child. She was born in Europe. When her parents came to the United States, they settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Helen was soon joined in her family by another baby girl, Dorothy Lena Busch, and a baby brother, Ronald Reich. Her early schooling years were spent at Gesu Elementary School. She attended Girls Tech High School with Dorothy.
Her work years found her doing many and varied jobs. She worked in the Baso factory making safety devices for natural gas products. She worked with Lynette at the Marina View Manor Nursing Home. She finished her career, employed for many years and retiring from the Gimbels Department Store. In fact, before her passing, she continued to receive a $96 per month pension from the Batus Retail Group, the corporation which owned Gimbels.
Auntie Helen was a delight to all of her nieces and nephews as they grew. She always celebrated their holidays and birthdays with gifts and treasures. The girl cousins, Ramona, Perrie, Rene, and Lynette played in Auntie Helen's upstairs apartment, while all of the "adults" visited with Grandma Reich downstairs. Auntie Helen's birthday was always special to Lynette, as they shared the same birthdate, February 5.
Helen's love of her later life was Fred Bergles. They found each other at a dance hall in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. They remained very close to each other until Fred passed around 1995. In fact, Fred had asked Auntie Helen to marry him multiple times. Her reply, "Why should I get married? I can't have kids anymore!". That was a typical Auntie Helen response.
After Fred passed, Helen moved into the Bristol Courts Apartments in Sussex, Wisconsin. She remained there for the next thirty years until the end of her life. She enjoyed her life in Sussex. She made many friends there. Everyone looked out for her as she aged. They all thought she was wonderful. She would love to sit and talk with the residents as they sat in the Atrium or passed her in the hallways.
Helen maintained a very active and independent life at Bristol Courts. She was a member of the Red Hatters and later the Lady Bugs clubs, enjoying monthly fellowship and lunch at a restaurant. She drove her own car until she was 90, when we finally convinced her that her car insurance would not renew her policy (whew!). She did her own laundry, using the machines at Bristol Courts. She took out her own garbage to the dumpster, tooling along using her cane or walker. Up until the last month of her life, she still insisted upon doing her own grocery shopping at Pick 'n Save, even though she was blind. Avis, a friend from the ERAS Senior Network, faithfully picked Helen up every other week, took Helen to Pick 'n.
Save, and read every label to her, while Helen dictated to Avis what to buy. Even up until the end, she was always concerned that she would "not gain too much weight.". Of course, the doctor wanted her to drink Ensure every day to maintain her energy and weight. "But what does the doctor know?" she said.
To provide more care and oversight for Helen this past year, we set up nurse visits once per week to manage her medications and nurse aid visits twice per week to help with her personal care and hair washing. However, as is typical Helen, she refused their help. She insisted on taking care of her personal needs herself, maintaining her privacy until the end. Even though Bristol Courts was an independent living elderly housing facility, Auntie Helen really had a lot of assistance and help from her good neighbors, Debbie and Mikki. Though Helen would never admit it, she could not have stayed in her apartment without their help all of these years. Both of them were God's special angels watching over Auntie Helen.
It is with great sadness that we must now say goodbye to our wonderful friend and Aunt Helen. Her almost 103 years have touched so many lives and hearts. Her passing is our great loss. But it will also be her great joy to rejoin her beloved family members and friends, who have gone on before her. Since she loved to argue so much here on earth, we wonder if she is having a heated discussion with her Lord regarding how. He ran this world! Who can say.
Helen is survived by Jacqueline Reich (sister-in-law), Ramona (niece) and Gary Trokan, Perrie Reich (niece), Rene (niece) and Jay Sayre, Lynette Lloyd (niece) and Mark Tengler. She is also survived by Debra Kastern (niece-in-law), Anthony M. Kastern (great nephew) and Matthew J. (great nephew) and Bridget Kastern.
She was preceded in death by her parents Anthony Busch and Theresa Reich, siblings Dorothy Kastern (sister) and Anthony Kastern (brother-in-law), Ronald Reich (brother), and her nephews William H. Kastern and Anthony J. Kastern.
Funeral services for Helen will be held at the St. James Catholic Church W220 N6588 Town Line Road, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051 on Wednesday February 4th with a visitation at 10:00am until the Mass of Christian burial at 11:00. Committal service to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery Chapel. Please meet in front of the Holy Cross office.
Memorials appreciated to HAWS of Waukesha County, Humane Animal Welfare Society.
