Helen J. Horan

All who knew Helen Horan would agree that she was a gracious and kindhearted woman with just the right amount of spunk mixed in. In the home she was a pioneer of sorts as she mastered the art of multitasking in her roles as a wife, mother, and homemaker. No stranger to hard work, Helen fully devoted herself to whatever task was at hand - a firm believer in the notion that something worth doing is worth doing right. With a life that spanned times of great change in the world around her, she lived a life of purpose while making priceless memories with her loved ones along the way. Life during the 1930s was anything but easy as the entire decade was cloaked in the hardship of the Great Depression. Things only intensified when a harsh drought gripped our nations heartland, putting additional strain on an already crippled agricultural industry. Despite the trying times around them, an active family from Rosebush, Michigan, was able to shift their focus to a joyous time in their lives when they welcomed a baby girl into the fold. Helen Joyce was the twelfth of seventeen children born to her parents, Fred and Mary Emelia (Lane) Burch, on June 24, 1933. She was raised in the family home in Rosebush, located in Isabella County, alongside her older siblings, Mary, Julia, Patrick, Rose Marie, Florence, Lucille, Irene, Bonnie, and Martha Mickey, and her younger siblings, Donna, James Lee, Ken, Joe, and Suzanne. She also had an older brother, James Fredrick, who died when he was ten months old, and an older sister, Margaret, who died when she was just two days old. Helens father worked as a farmer while her mother was a nurses aide. In many ways Helen experienced an upbringing that was reflective of the times. She was a student at local schools including Mt. Pleasant High School. Not to be forgotten during her years as a young woman was Helens introduction to the young man with whom she would spend the best years of her life. His name was William Horan, and they met while both skipping school one day. Although he was a student at Beal City High School while Helen attended Mt. Pleasant High, they were both smitten with one another and began dating. The couple later found themselves in love, and with a desire to establish a life together Helen and Bill were married on October 11, 1952, at St. Henrys Catholic Church in Rosebush. Together Helen and William were blessed with 10 children: Bradley, Patrick, Robert, Madonna, Joseph, Ronnie and Bonnie who are twins, Helen, and twins Monica and Michael. From the moment she became a mother Helen was extraordinary at it. She was tireless, managing to keep the house running smoothly while also making sure her children toed the line. Helen was completely dedicated to her family and home, and she could multitask like no other. In fact, she may have even been the one who invented it! Helen could wash dishes in a flash, too. Although she ran a well oiled machine at home, she could be a bit stubborn or ornery at times. The Horan family wasnt able to take many vacations, but they did enjoy a trip to Petoskey where they stayed in a cabin on a lake. When a few of their children were older, Helen and Bill took their three youngest children to Wisconsin. Their children had a great time there and were thrilled to be able to drink in a bar as long as their parents were with them. Helen also made sure that her children were properly dressed whenever they went into the big city of Mt. Pleasant. In addition to tending to her home and family, Helen worked outside the home. For a time she worked in food service at the White Wagon in Rosebush and at Central Michigan University. Helen also managed a One Stop Convenience in Clare, worked at Burkholders Party Store in Rosebush, and worked at Home Style Sandwiches. Compared to Grand Central Station, the Horan home was always a bustle of activity. Christmas and Easter were special holiday celebrations that were always spent at Helens house. She was an excellent cook who went over and above in making sure that everything was just so for these grand gatherings. Helens holiday displays were beautiful to behold, and she also enjoyed shopping for just the right Christmas gifts for her loved ones. Weekends were also spent at Helens house with many of their family and friends, and Helens nieces and nephews simply adored her. Throughout her life Helens journey was enriched in so many ways. She was never one to do much traveling, but once their children were older she and Bill traveled to Florida a few times. During her later years Helen found that she really enjoyed gardening, and she was also a member of St. Henrys Catholic Church. She was a forward thinker who enjoyed staying up with changing styles and trends, and when it came to her own personal style Helen always liked to look her best. When relaxing at home she enjoyed watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy and reading. Helen Horan will be remembered for her strong work ethic, her timeless wisdom, and the way she always treated others with compassion and fairness, but it will be her selfless acts that will be her lasting legacy. She was open minded and could find the good in everyone while helping others to be their best as well. Helen worked hard, but she also balanced her days with fun, too. She will be dearly missed while her memory remains forever near and dear to the hearts of many. Helen Horan of Rosebush died on Thursday, January 10, 2013. Helens family includes her 10 children, Brad Horan and his fiance, Rosanne Rossi of New Jersey, Pat (Marje) Horan of Rosebush, Bob Horan of Mt. Pleasant, Madonna (Kim) Methner of Mt. Pleasant, Joe (Maureen) Horan of Howell, twins, Ronnie (Elizabeth) Horan of Rosebush and Bonnie (John) Boyd of Austin, TX, Helen (Dave) MacGregor of Mt. Pleasant and twins, Monica (Steve Fuhst) Horan of Rosebush, and Mike (Amy) Horan of Ankara, Turkey; 23 grandchildren, Jason, Brooke, Bridger, Monica and Jaclyn, Chris and Kevin, Aubrey and Kaureen, Kim II, Ginger, Joe and Pat, Nathan, Brandon, Brooklyn and Brittney, Sophia, Colin and Logan, and William, and twins, Jonathan and Eliana; 18 great-grandchildren with three on the way; siblings, Mary Sharp of Clare, Julia Hovey of Rosebush, Donna Lynch of Rosebush, and Suzanne (George) Moeggenberg of Ft. Lauderdale, FL; brother-in-law, Murray Mogg of Rosebush; three sisters-in-law, Dorothy Burch of Coleman, Sandy Burch of Rosebush and Carol (Joe) Marchiando of Beal City; daughter-in-law, Anita Doneth of Rosebush; and many nieces and nephews. Helen was preceded in death by her husband, William; granddaughter, Lauren Horan Boyd; daughter-in-law, Dorothy Horan; and siblings, James Fredrick Burch, Pat Burch, Rose Marie Sponseller, Florence Bullard-Schultz, Lucille Mogg, Irene Evans, Bonnie Mogg, Martha Mickey Prout, Margaret Burch, James Lee Burch, Ken Burch and Joe Burch. A Funeral Mass for Helen will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday, January 14, at St. Henrys Catholic Church in Rosebush with Father Christian Tabares presiding. Burial will be in St. Henrys Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Lux Family Funeral Home, 2300 S. Lincoln Rd., on Saturday from 5-8 p.m. and Sunday from 2-8 p.m. The Vigil will be held at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Visitation continues at the church one hour prior to the Mass. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Commission on Aging and Faith Johnston Memorial Library (Rosebush Library). Envelopes are available at the funeral home.