August
22,
1928
22,
1928
February
21,
2018
21,
2018
Helen Mae (Foster) Cain, 89, of Ottawa and formerly of rural Hinckley, Ill., passed away peacefully on Feb. 21, 2018. “Dad is waiting,” she told her family when she chose to spend her final days at home where she lived with her daughter, Cathy, who stayed by her side throughout. Generous and comforting support also was provided by a hospice team from OSF Supportive Care.
There will be a memorial service on Sunday, March 18, 2018, with visitation from 2 to 4 p.m. followed by a sharing of memories at 4 p.m. at Burkhart-Eighner Funeral Home in Sandwich, 606 E. Arnold Road.
There will be a private graveside service on March 19, 2018, at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery near Elwood, Ill., where her ashes will remain with her husband of 67 years, Stanley V. Cain, who passed on Nov. 18, 2014.
Donations may be made to Wreaths Across America for Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, OCP Wreath Project, 10255 Donna Drive, Dittmer, Mo., 63023.
Helen was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, LaVonne “Bonnie” E. Johnson and Janet Page; and one brother, Buford “Lawrence” Foster; her uncle, Otis M. (Hazel) Oddson; and a cousin, Willis (Doris) Nordtvedt.
She is survived by her two children, Lonny J. (Cindy) Cain and Cathy A. Jones, both of Ottawa, Ill.; one sister, Arlene (Foster) Wade of Sandwich, Ill.; cousins Doris (Doyle) Serby of Ottawa, Donna (Jerry) Leonard of Sandwich; and several nieces and nephews.
Surviving grandchildren are Trevor B. Cain and Tyler J. Cain, both of Denver, Colo.; Scott H. Cain of Brooklyn, N.Y; Gregory (Bonnie) Jones of Wake Forest, N.C.; and Sarah (Jeff) Rodgers of Rutland Township in LaSalle County; also great-grandchildren, Andrea and Alex Law, both of Ottawa, Ashley Rodgers of Rutland Township, and Zachary Jones of Wake Forest, N.C.
Helen was born Aug. 22, 1928, in Aurora, Ill., to Buford and Mattie (Oddson) Foster.
She grew up in Millington and Sandwich and is a 1947 graduate of Sandwich High School. She attended grade school in a one-room schoolhouse in Millington. Her grandparents, William and Elva Bozeman, lived in Ottawa and for many years ran a second-hand store in town. She remembered taking the train into Ottawa and Sandwich as a young woman for a day of shopping. She learned to drive in an Oatman’s Dairy truck and in high school was active in local paper drives to help the war effort. She married Stan on Sept. 18, 1947, shortly after his return from the Pacific Theater where he served in the Navy on an LST and fought in the Battle of Okinawa.
She worked in the Dietary Department at Geneva Community Hospital and also many years in the Circulation Department of Mooseheart near Aurora. In her earlier years she was a “farmer’s wife” and after retirement was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
Helen lived most of her life in the country near small towns. She was a tiny woman but country strong. She dedicated much of her life to building and holding together a loving family who learned early the importance of doing right over wrong. Besides her family and friends, she loved country living, a clean house, strawberry shakes — and babies. She enjoyed collecting precious Moments figurines and was an avid fan of crossword and jigsaw puzzles, old time gospel music, and dancing with Dad. Every Christmas family and friends could count on a container full of homemade fudge. And her lasting gift to pretty much everyone — a simple smile. For more information or to sign the online guest book go to www.EighnerFuneralHomes.com
Burkhart-Eighner Funeral Home
606 E. Arnold Road, Sandwich, IL
815-786-2165
There will be a memorial service on Sunday, March 18, 2018, with visitation from 2 to 4 p.m. followed by a sharing of memories at 4 p.m. at Burkhart-Eighner Funeral Home in Sandwich, 606 E. Arnold Road.
There will be a private graveside service on March 19, 2018, at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery near Elwood, Ill., where her ashes will remain with her husband of 67 years, Stanley V. Cain, who passed on Nov. 18, 2014.
Donations may be made to Wreaths Across America for Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, OCP Wreath Project, 10255 Donna Drive, Dittmer, Mo., 63023.
Helen was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, LaVonne “Bonnie” E. Johnson and Janet Page; and one brother, Buford “Lawrence” Foster; her uncle, Otis M. (Hazel) Oddson; and a cousin, Willis (Doris) Nordtvedt.
She is survived by her two children, Lonny J. (Cindy) Cain and Cathy A. Jones, both of Ottawa, Ill.; one sister, Arlene (Foster) Wade of Sandwich, Ill.; cousins Doris (Doyle) Serby of Ottawa, Donna (Jerry) Leonard of Sandwich; and several nieces and nephews.
Surviving grandchildren are Trevor B. Cain and Tyler J. Cain, both of Denver, Colo.; Scott H. Cain of Brooklyn, N.Y; Gregory (Bonnie) Jones of Wake Forest, N.C.; and Sarah (Jeff) Rodgers of Rutland Township in LaSalle County; also great-grandchildren, Andrea and Alex Law, both of Ottawa, Ashley Rodgers of Rutland Township, and Zachary Jones of Wake Forest, N.C.
Helen was born Aug. 22, 1928, in Aurora, Ill., to Buford and Mattie (Oddson) Foster.
She grew up in Millington and Sandwich and is a 1947 graduate of Sandwich High School. She attended grade school in a one-room schoolhouse in Millington. Her grandparents, William and Elva Bozeman, lived in Ottawa and for many years ran a second-hand store in town. She remembered taking the train into Ottawa and Sandwich as a young woman for a day of shopping. She learned to drive in an Oatman’s Dairy truck and in high school was active in local paper drives to help the war effort. She married Stan on Sept. 18, 1947, shortly after his return from the Pacific Theater where he served in the Navy on an LST and fought in the Battle of Okinawa.
She worked in the Dietary Department at Geneva Community Hospital and also many years in the Circulation Department of Mooseheart near Aurora. In her earlier years she was a “farmer’s wife” and after retirement was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
Helen lived most of her life in the country near small towns. She was a tiny woman but country strong. She dedicated much of her life to building and holding together a loving family who learned early the importance of doing right over wrong. Besides her family and friends, she loved country living, a clean house, strawberry shakes — and babies. She enjoyed collecting precious Moments figurines and was an avid fan of crossword and jigsaw puzzles, old time gospel music, and dancing with Dad. Every Christmas family and friends could count on a container full of homemade fudge. And her lasting gift to pretty much everyone — a simple smile. For more information or to sign the online guest book go to www.EighnerFuneralHomes.com
Burkhart-Eighner Funeral Home
606 E. Arnold Road, Sandwich, IL
815-786-2165
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Helen Mae Cain, please visit our flower store.