Helen Marie Galvin, 89, of Lenexa, Kansas passed away Wednesday, November 25, 2020 at Westchester Village, Lenexa. Funeral services will be held at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 5500 Woodson, Mission, Kansas, on December 2, 2020. Visitation will be held at 9:30 a.m. with the Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Burial to follow in Resurrection Cemetery, Lenexa, KS. Social distancing and face masks will be required. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions to St. Pius X Catholic Church.
Helen Marie Miljavac was born December 19, 1930, in St. Joseph, MO and lived most of her life in the Kansas City area. Helen was proud to be a first generation American, her father Croatian, her mother Serbian, both immigrating as children from the 'old country', and eventually putting down roots in St. Joe. Eventually moving to Kansas City, KS, Helen grew up on Strawberry Hill and graduated from Bishop Ward High School in 1948 where she served as Treasurer of her high school sorority Delta Pi Gamma. She then took on some new adventures, working for TWA airlines, which enabled her to travel to exotic Cuba in 1951.
Helen was set up on a blind date with James Galvin in 1953 by her Aunt Judy. On February 20th, 1954 they were married at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church on Strawberry Hill in Kansas City, KS. Jim and Helen proudly raised their four children in the Mission and Roeland Park, KS area. Helen volunteered at St. Pius throughout her lifetime with school projects, as a Circle member and was the volunteer coordinator for the greeters. She was a wonderful seamstress and sewed clothes for her family as well as barbie clothes and handmade Christmas stockings that her family will always cherish.
Helen managed an insurance company office for much of her career and then retired in 1998. After retirement, she worked at Kohl’s in Shawnee part time where she was fondly referred to as “Helen in Fine Jewelry”.
Helen spent many of her later years caring for her husband of 56 years. In 2013, Helen became a founding member at Westchester Village in Lenexa, her home for 7 years. She cherished and befriended all of her neighbors and all of the staff that she encountered there.
Helen is preceded in death by her parents James and Amelia Miljavac, her brother Bob (Helen) Miljavac, her husband Jim, and her grandson Andrew Canon. Helen leaves behind her daughter Denise (Milling) of Lenexa, KS, her daughter Debra (Michael) of Shawnee, KS, her son Michael (Jennifer) of Mission, KS and her daughter Mary Ann (Rich) of Roeland Park, KS. She was a proud Grandma to Sarah (Josh), Jeff, Kevin, Brian, Kevin (Stephone), Michele (Matt), Matthew, Joey and Emma. Helen was also blessed with Great Grandchildren; Jace, Reese, Mason, Noah, Norah, Nolan, Kolton and Konnor as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Helen’s family is eternally grateful to the caregivers at Westchester Village and at Ascend Hospice for all of their love and support. She prayed to St. Anthony constantly, asking for his help and guidance for all of her friends and family.
For Helen, Obitelj je sve!!! Croatian for FAMILY IS EVERYTHING. Laku noć Mom!