Helen Panitzke, age 99, of Redwood Falls, Minnesota, passed away on Sunday, August 30, 2020 at the Seasons Hospice House in Redwood Falls, Minnesota. Funeral Service will be held at St. John Ev. Lutheran Church in Redwood Falls, Minnesota, on Thursday, September 3, 2020 at 11:00 am. Burial to follow at the Redwood Falls Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 9:00 until 11:00 am at the church.
Helen was born on June 25, 1921, to George and Minnie (Mansfeldt) Eckhart in Redwood Falls, Minnesota. She attended Redwood Falls School. On October 10, 1940 she married Albert Panitzke. They farmed Paxton Township for 25 years. Then in 1965 she moved to town. She worked at Sunwood Nursing Home for 5 years as head cook. Then in 1971 she began working in the Redwood Falls High School kitchen as the Head Cook for 15 years, she retired in 1986. She took great pride in serving nutritious meals so the children could continue to learn. She was a faithful member of St. John Lutheran Church and a member of the Ladies Society. She enjoyed cooking and baking, reading, gardening, watching the birds, watching the Minnesota Twins and spending time with her many grandchildren.
She is survived by her daughter, Nancy (Stephen) Waldorf of Olivia. Four grandchildren, Jodie and (Barry) Braaten of Glenwood, Roger Panitzke of Glenwood, Kara (Tony) Elwood of Glenwood, and Christa Waldorf of Apple Valley, four great granddaughters and six great-great grandsons and one great-great granddaughter, many nieces and nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, son, Larry Panitzke, two grandsons Curtis Panitzke and Adam Panitzke, sister Lois Ahrens, half-sisters Elise Pease and Gail Beasley, half-brother Max Eckhart, brothers Calvin “Bud” Eckhart and Clarion “Kay” Eckhart and George Eckhart.
