Helia H. Wuotila
October 10, 1920 ~ January 9, 2012
Helia H. Wuotila, nee Saari, of Gilbert passed away January 9, 2012, at St. Johns Hospital in Maplewood, MN. Funeral services will be held at 2 PM on Friday, January 13th at Roberts Family Funeral Home, 555 Centennial Drive SW, Forest Lake with the Rev. Gary Kangas officiating. A visitation will be begin at 12 Noon and will be held until the time of the service. Memorials preferred. Helia was born October 10, 1920, in Sparta Location, Gilbert, to Hilma (Hernesaho) and Joshua Saari. She graduated as valedictorian of the Gilbert High School Class of 1938, where she was the editor of the Orange Black and participated in drama, swimming, and Girl Scouts. She received a bachelors degree at Hamline University in St. Paul with a major in French and minors in Latin, English and Library Science. She taught English at Esko, MN, Latin and English at Long Prairie, MN, and English in Detroit, MI. In each school she served as the H.S. librarian. She was later a substitute teacher for various Range school systems including Gilbert. In Long Prairie, MN and Detroit, MI, she served as a Camp Fire Girls leader. She married Rudolph Paul Wuotila on June 8, 1946 in Sparta and together they made their home in Detroit, MI for two years before returning to MN and settling in Gilbert (Sparta Location) She was a homemaker and a member of the Pike Apostolic Lutheran Church. She was the Gilbert City Librarian for 10 years, 4-H leader for 25 years, past president of the Gilbert PTA, served as a Hamline University class agent for several years, worked as a welder at the Albina shipyards in Portland, OR during WW II (while on summer break), and was the registrar of the Gilbert All-Class Reunion. She is survived by her daughter, Wendy (Kurt) Peterson of White Bear Lake, MN, daughters-in-law, Diane (Denis) Hetletvedt of Hill City, and Connie Wuotila of Wyoming; grandsons, Eric (Vicky) Wuotila of Wyoming, Mark (Deanna) Wuotila of Woodbury, Ryan (Karen)Wuotila of Wyoming, and Seth Peterson of White Bear Lake; granddaughters, Nicolle Wuotila of Grand Rapids, Molly Wuotila of Burnsville, Kimberly (Kurt) Johnson of St. Paul, Amy, Katie, Stephanie, and Laurie Peterson of White Bear Lake; great grandsons, Will, Isaac, Zack, Titan, Mason; great granddaughers, Kaylee, Clara, Anita, Meghan, Alli, Elyse, Abbie, Payton, May ; step-grandsons, Eric, Christopher, and Jeremy Hetletvedt ; brother Arnold (Betty) Saari of Golden Valley; sisters Ruth (Arnold) Sunnarborg of Esko and Elaine (Orville) Bierman of EauClaire, WI; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Rudolph; sons, Barry and Bruce; brothers, Howard, Alphonse, and William; sisters, Helmie, Laura, Lillian, and Irma May.
Helia and I worked in the Hamline Library together and belonged to the same society at Hamline. She was a good friend and kept in touch with me all these years. I feel very sad today having lost my last Hamline friend.