Helen Houseal

Helen Ann Houseal, 89, of St. Joseph passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 27, 2016 surrounded by family. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 30, 2016 from 4-7pm at Starks & Menchinger Chapel and Cremation Services, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, with the Rosary recited at 6:30pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, December 1, 2016 at 10:00am at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 220 Church St., St. Joseph.  Burial will take place at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Battle Creek, MI.  Memorials may be made to Birthright of St. Joseph, Inc., St. Joseph Catholic Church, or Lake Michigan Catholic Schools.  Those wishing to sign Helen’s memory book on-line may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Helen was born to Lawrence and Helena (Kessler) Rohret on January 10, 1927 in West Liberty, Iowa. She graduated from Cosgrove High School in 1944 and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa in 1948. She was an eloquent writer and an accomplished photographer. After teaching English for two years in Wyoming, she returned to Iowa and earned her Master’s degree in Biochemistry at the University of Iowa in Iowa City.  It was there that she met William Houseal. In 1953 she married William Houseal at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Cosgrove, Iowa. In 1957 they moved to St. Joseph, MI where they raised their nine children, hosted several foreign exchange students, and took in two Polish refugee families, helping them to get established in the United States. In 1977, after four years of prayerful consideration, Helen founded Birthright of St. Joseph, Inc., a non-profit crisis pregnancy service helping women to carry their babies to term by utilizing volunteers who provide unconditional love, practical support, and non-judgmental compassion to all who come in or call for help. She was Executive Director and President of Birthright of St. Joseph, Inc. for 25 years, Regional Consultant for the states of Michigan and Indiana for 35 years, served on the Board of Directors for over 39 years until the time of her death, and tirelessly volunteered for nearly 40 years. In 2000, she was honored to receive the Margaret B. Upton Volunteer Leadership Award.  In 2013, she received Birthright International’s Ruthie Ford Regional Consultant’s Service Award.  Also in 2013 she received the Louise Summerhill Pinnacle Award for 35 years of love and selfless dedication to women and their unborn children and to the ideals of Birthright. She is preceded in death by her devoted husband, Bill, after 62 years of marriage. She is also preceded in death by her eldest son, Matthew Houseal, and her brother, Thomas Rohret. She is survived by her children Timothy (Leslie), Stephen (Julie), Anne (Paul), Joseph, Elizabeth, David, John (Gail), and Maria; her daughter-in-law Luzma; 36 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren; and sisters Genevieve Zimmerman and Kathryn Hughes. Helen was a lady of unwavering integrity and fidelity, compassionate kindness, exceptional intelligence, and profound humility. Helen truly lived her faith and was a shining example of God’s love.