Helen Jean McDonald was born December 13, 1922 and passed September 14, 2022.
Helen Jean (Yocum) McDonald was born on a farm between Scottsbluff and Mitchell to Maude (McKim) and Jay Yocum. Helen graduated high school in 1940 and then attended Scottsbluff College, graduating in 1942.
After graduation, Helen was employed with the John Cook Package Co. as a bookkeeper. In 1947, she became a secretary with the Union Pacific Railroad and was employed with them for 28 years. In 1975 she became a loan officer for Platte Valley Federal, retiring in 1985.
Helen was an active woman and always kept busy which brought her out of retirement. For another 16 years, Helen was employed with Valley Bank and Trust and retired a second time in 2004.
In May 1946, Helen married Jerry McDonald who had returned from World Warr II in April of that year. She and Jerry had one son, Patrick Jay McDonald, who was born December 1949.
Helen and her family enjoyed traveling; visiting all 50 states, Ireland, Europe – including those cities where Jerry had been deployed, and 10 countries in the South Pacific.
Helen was an amazing woman and known as the Betty White of Gering. She was an active member of the First United Methodist Church and also known as an avid sports enthusiast supporting the local Gering Organized Baseball program as well as the University of Nebraska, Go Big Red! She was also known for her love of cards; bridge, cribbage, and poker. Through all the activities she enjoyed over the years, Helen made a memorable impact on every individual she met. She was a vivacious woman who was incredibly loved and will be dearly missed by her family, her friends, and all those who knew her.
Helen is survived by: her daughter-in-law Sherry McDonald (she passed away October 6, 2022), granddaughter Allison McDonald, sister Carol Stewart, sister Margaret Saathoff, brother-in-law Ben Saathoff, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Helen is preceded in death by: her husband Jerry McDonald, son Pat McDonald, brother Bill Yocum, and her parents Maude and Jay Yocum.
Visitation and the funeral service will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Gering. The visitation will be held October 20, 2022 from 6PM – 8PM and the funeral service will be held October 21, 2022 at 1PM. Burial will be immediately following the funeral service at Westlawn Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Gering Organized Baseball or the Panhandle Humane Society. Fond memories and condolences may be left at www.geringchapel.com. Gering Memorial Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements.
