Helen McManmon Kuenster, 99, died peacefully at her Oak Park home on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017. She was a graduate of the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul and the University of Iowa with a master’s degree in nutrition and had been a registered dietician at both West Suburban and Oak Park hospitals.
Helen Kuenster was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Sylvester J. (Steve) Kuenster, and two of her nine children, John J. (Mary Fran Hardin) and Mary Jo (Charles Bassett) Kuenster. She is survived by seven children, Virginia (Charles) Yarbrough, Lenore (Gerald) Siemer, Gregory J. (Songliu Rao) Kuenster, Maureen (Jean-Pierre Charmant) Kuenster, Mark J. Kuenster, Margory (Reed Hobbs) Kuenster, and Angele (Donald Gardner) Kuenster; her grandchildren, Kathryn (Jason Krozel) Kuenster, Ann Kuenster, Margaret (Michael) Karnick, John (Wendy Barg) Kuenster, Scott (Shelli Matthias) Siemer, Ami (Kendall) Garrison, Lora Siemer, Elliot, Tom and Steve Bassett, Audrey and David Charmant, Julia and Marie Yarbrough, Michael (Siri Bell) Kuenster, Chris (Ashleigh Phillippe) and Jacob (Amy Shrader) Hobbs, and Helen and Kelsey Kuenster; her great-grandchildren, Ella, JJ, Cameron, Ava, Caiden, Charles, Julius, Brody, Abby, Jake, Shane, Mallory, Jackson, and Lulu.
She was predeceased by her parents John T. and Margie Mooney McManmon; her siblings, Marguerite, Mary Lenore C.S.J., Catherine (the late James) Anderson, John T. (Lorriane Allmaras) McManmon Jr.; and her great-granddaughter, Ellen; she is survived by her sister, Eleanor McManmon Daly; and many nephews, nieces and friends.
Visitation is on Friday, Oct. 27 from 4 until 8 p.m. at Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home, 203 S. Marion St. in Oak Park, followed by an 11 a.m. funeral Mass on Saturday, Oct. 28 at Oak Park’s St. Edmund Church, 188 S. Oak Park Ave. with interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to St. Edmund Church are appreciated.
