Helen Cleary

Beloved Family Matriarch and Friend to All.

Helen Cleary, age 99, passed away peacefully on 11/11/2025 surrounded by her loving family. Born on 6/15/1926 in Red Wing, Minnesota, she lived a long and joyful life filled with laughter, conversation and love.

A natural storyteller, Helen was known for her gift of conversation – she never met a stranger, only friends she hadn't yet spoken to. She could brighten every room with her warmth and humor. She cherished her family and friends above all else.

Family was her heart. Whether gathered around the table or on the phone with loved ones, she poured love and attention into every relationship. Her friendships were many, her warmth unmatched, and her love unconditional. She encouraged many people at Davita Dialysis centers where she was a patient for over ten years. They also became part of her family.

An avid reader, Helen found joy in books that carried her to faraway places, even as she remained deeply rooted in faith and community. She believed that every day offered something to learn and someone new to love.

Until her age caught up to her, she was very active in different capacities at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in St. Paul MN and joyfully sang in the choir.

Her life was a long and joyful conversation – one filled with grace, laughter, and love. Though her voice is now quiet, her stories and spirit live on in all of us who were blessed to know her.

She approached life with joy, curiosity, and deep gratitude for every day she was given.

We are thankful for 99 years of her presence – nearly a century of light, love and life well lived.

Helen is survived by children Gene Szondy (Paty McFarlane), Susan Harder, David Szondy; grandchildren Patrick Ackerman Jr. (Tammy Collins), Eric Ackerman (Michelle Waller), Joshua (Kayley) Szondy, Emma Szondy; great-grandchildren Ashley (Dakota) Wheeler, Patrick Ackerman, Sean Ackerman; great-great-grandchildren Chevi, Danika and Jolynn Wheeler; nephews James Mansfield, Richard Lee, Robert Fernow, and William Fernow; nieces Sandy Delzer, Phyllis Lee, Jennifer Suilmann, and Rita Hatch, and countless friends who will miss her boundless energy and kind spirit.

She was preceded in death by her husbands Emil Szondy and John Cleary, sons Dennis and Dale Szondy, brother Clyde M. Mansfield.

Family and friends are invited to share memories and celebrate her life at St. Peter's Lutheran Church, 530 Victoria Street, St. Paul, MN on December 13, at 11:00 a.m, followed by a memorial service at noon. Lunch follows.

The family asks that you honor her memory by sharing a story, a book, or a conversation with someone you love – just as she always did.

Her voice, her stories, and her love will echo in our hearts forever.