Helen Frances Tack

Helen F. Tack, 94 of Glenwood, IA, passed away at the Linnwood Estates in Glenwood on January 17, 2017. Per her wishes, cremation will take place. A memorial service was held by Linnwood Estates in Glenwood during the Catholic service on January 19, 2017.

Loess Hills Funeral Home of Glenwood in charge of arrangements.

Helen Frances Tack, the youngest child of John F. Cotter, DVM and Lina Dell (Redfern) Cotter, was born on May 25, 1922 in Tabor, Iowa. She attended Tabor Community schools, then Capital City Commercial College in Des Moines, Iowa. After graduation, she worked for Des Moines Oats Products and for the law firm of Mauk & Eaton in Tabor.

On January 11, 1943, Helen married 2nd Lt. Elmer E. "Bud" Garrett of Tabor. Bud was a P-38 pilot in the United States Army Air Force. She traveled with him until he was deployed with the 13th Airfare to the South Pacific. On December 5, 1943, Bud was lost in action returning to base after the first raid on the Philippines.

In June of that year, Helen joined the Nurses Cadet Corp and attended the School of Nursing at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. She worked in the University Hospital following her graduation. Helen met and married Thomas Huston Tack, a graduate mathematics student from Wichita, Kansas.
They made their home in Denver, Colorado; Wichita, Kansas; Inglewood and Woodland Hills, California; then moved to Rome, New York, where Tom passed away in 1966. Helen moved back home to Tabor and made her home in Glenwood, Iowa later that year.

Helen worked at the Glenwood State Hospital School as a Registered Nurse and in the Foster Grandparent Program. During this time, she served on the Advisory Council for the Governor's Volunteer Program and attended the 1980 White House Conference on Aging as an observer. Helen was on the advisory board of Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and the advisory board for the Mills County Public Health Department. She also had time to serve four terms as an Older Iowan Legislative Delegate.

Helen was lively and generous with her times and talents. She was a member of Grace United Methodist Church and enjoyed playing bridge, traveling, reading, and investing. Helen loved spending time with her children and grandchildren.

Helen passed away at the Linnwood Estates in Glenwood on January 17, 2017, at the age of 94 years, 7 months, and 22 days. In addition to her husbands, she was also preceded in death by her parents; sister Dorothy Cotter; and brother Darrell Cotter, DVM and his wife Mary Alice.

Helen is survived by her children, Dr. David Tack, DVM and his wife Susie Mingo of Las Vegas, NV, Kathleen Tack of Vancouver, WA, Kim Carroll and her husband Robert of Walnut Creek, CA, and Teresa Stogdill and her husband Ron of Lincoln, NE; along with eight grandchildren; four great grandchildren; and many dear friends.