Helen Marie (O'Neill) Leider

Helen Marie (O’Neill) Leider was born on December 28, 1934, to Florence Catherine (Conlouge) and Thomas Hugh O’Neill. She was raised on her family farm in St. Thomas, Minnesota, where she attended a one-room schoolhouse and St. Anne’s Catholic School before graduating from Le Sueur High School in 1952.

Following graduation, Helen moved to Minneapolis, where she attended vocational school for typing and shorthand. She gained employment and was eventually introduced to “her Hugo.” After meeting him for the first time, she confidently told her roommates that she was going to marry him. Helen was united in marriage to Hugo Earl Leider of Wells, Minnesota, on July 28, 1956. Together, they were blessed with seven children and shared 64 years of devoted marriage.

In 1972, Helen and Hugo moved their family to Duluth. A devoted wife and mother, Helen stayed home with her children during most of their formative years. In 1975, she returned to school at Duluth Vocational Technical Institute, graduating in 76 as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). She went on to serve patients with compassion and dedication for 15 years at St. Luke’s Hospital before retiring from nursing in 1990 to focus on her growing family.

Helen was a talented, largely self-taught artist, seamstress and decorator who delighted in, sewing, wallpapering, furniture refinishing, stained glass, decoupage, macramé and pottery. She always had a creative project underway and was frequently sought out by friends and family for her skill, keen eye for detail, and generous willingness to help. She blessed countless newborns with her hand-sewn flannel baby blankets; each made with loving care.

A woman of deep and abiding faith, Helen devoted many volunteer hours as an usher and Eucharistic minister at her parish and at the hospital. She also served in the funeral ministry at St. Joseph’s, Catholic Church. She was a highly sought after bridge player and belonged to many clubs over the years creating decades of friendships. She cherished time spent with her children and grandchildren and took great joy in teaching many of them how to play the card game 500—and how to play it well.

Helen was received into the Lord’s heavenly Kingdom on February 8th, 2026 at her home at Ecumen Lakeshore, surrounded by her loving family.

She is deeply loved and will be greatly missed by her children: Laurie (Pat) Louwagie, Kerry (Kirstin) Leider, Tom (Cindy) Leider, Pat (Claudia) Leider, Rick Leider (Chireen O’Connell), Anne (Jon) Loye, and Emey (Gerry) Vaillancourt. One of her most cherished roles was that of grandmother to 21 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren whom she cared for often and loved fiercely. Given her kindness, gentle heart, and faithful devotion, she is profoundly loved by her grandchildren, who will carry her loving imprint with them always.

Helen is also survived by her brother-in-law, Jim Bratsch; sisters-in-law, Muriel O’Neill and Josie O’Neill; her sister and brother-in-law, Diane (Leider) and Ron Feist; many beloved nieces and nephews; other loving relatives; and many dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved husband, Hugo; her brothers Billy (Jean), Jimmy, and Dick O’Neill; her sisters Carol (Bob) Waters and Kay Bratsch; and her in-laws Don (Yvonne) Leider and Fred (Jaci) Leider.

A gathering of family and friends will be held at 10am, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11AM on Friday February 13, 2026 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 151 West Linden Street, Duluth, Minnesota 55811. Lunch will follow. Helen will be laid to rest beside her beloved Hugo at Calvary Cemetery in Duluth.

The service will be livestreamed on Dougherty Funeral Home’s Facebook page beginning five minutes prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Duluth.

Arrangements are by Dougherty Funeral Home, 600 East Second Street, Duluth, Minnesota, 218-727-3555.

Blessed be the memory of Helen Leider