Helen M. Follansbee

Helen M. Follansbee, 85, of La Crosse, passed away at her home on Wednesday, December 16, 2015.
She was born in La Crosse on February 18, 1930, to Peter and Helen (Matuska) Stephan. She attended La Crosse schools and was a 1948 graduate of Aquinas High School. On January 20, 1955, Helen married Gail Follansbee in La Crosse with their reception being held at their family owned business, Stephan’s Maple Grove Restaurant. Gail preceded her in death on January 29, 1981.
Earlier in her life, Helen worked as a waitress at Stephan’s Maple Grove. She and Gail then built the Redwood Motel in La Crosse which they operated for many years until she sold it in April 1998 and moved to her single family home. But, she was not one to sit around with nothing to do so she was currently working at the La Crosse Center.
Helen was an active community volunteer with Meals on Wheels and RSVP. She donated blood through the American Red Cross for many years and always encouraged others to do the same. She was very accomplished at needlepoint, for which she received numerous awards. She could take a piece of ceramic and “give it life” with how beautiful she painted it. She also raised and showed dogs when she was younger and remained a lifelong dog lover. There wasn’t a dog that she knew that didn’t love her and vie for her attention. Helen loved playing Bingo and going on a good bus trip to the casino; especially when she came home with a win.
Helen is survived by her children, David Follansbee of La Crosse, Diane Sullivan (Mike Snyder) and her daughter, Kelly Sullivan, of Marrietta, Cal., Tracy (Bill) McMillan and their children, Brock and Leah, of Carlsbad, Cal., and Steve (Kris) Follansbee and their sons, Nicholas and Jacob, of Onalaska; one sister, Carol Lee of Stoddard, Wis.; a brother, Bob Stephan of La Crosse; one sister-in-law, Rita Stephan of La Crosse; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and her faithful companion, Australian Terrier named Brandi. In addition to her husband, Gail, Helen was also preceded in death by her parents Peter and Helen Stephan, brother, Raymond Stephan, brother-in-law Raymond Lee and tragically her son, Peter, just seven short months ago.
A memorial service will be held at 6:00 p.m., Monday, December 21st, at Schumacher-Kish Funeral and Cremation Services, 200 West Ave. So., La Crosse. Deacon Richard Sage will officiate. Private family burial will take place in the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, La Crosse. Family and friends may call from 3:00 p.m. until the time of service on Monday at the funeral home.