Helen J. Macken was born May 12, 1933, in Grafton, ND to Mildred (Ray) and Otto Macken. She grew up on the family farm near Glasston, ND where she attended grade school and graduated from St. Thomas High School. She went on to pursue her nursing degree from Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing in Grand Forks, ND. Her nursing career spanned many years working in hospitals in California, Drayton, Grafton and Cavalier, ND. She was well known for her care and compassion while helping to deliver many babies over the extent of her career before retiring in 1993.
Helen married Donald Hills November 17, 1956, and they made their home on the family farm near Glasston.
Survivors include daughters: Cindy (Bruce) Henschel, Glasston, ND, Toni (Kelly) Brown, Bathgate, ND, and Jodi Hardebeck, Lisbon, ND; grandchildren: Jennifer Knudsen, Kyle (Lyndsey) Switzer, Travis Brown (Emily Berdan), Amy Long, Reece Brown, and Levi (Brenna) Brown, great grandchildren: Hannah and Liam Knudsen, Jude, Adeline, and Lyla Switzer, and Maclin and Keira Brown. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Maxine Wilson.
Helen was preceded in death by her parents, husband Donald, sister and brother-in-law Ruth and Harland Larson and son-in-law Mark Hardebeck.