Helen Allen

Helen E. (Mattson) Allen

Helen E. (Mattson) Allen, 89, Chisholm, died Monday, March 23, 2015, at Fairview Range Medical Center in Hibbing. Helen grew up on a farm in Wawina, MN. She and her four sisters with their mother took care of the farm chores while their father worked in logging camps.

Helen and her twin sister, Lil, worked one summer in Duluth babysitting for separate families. Helen, being destined for greatness, babysat 18 month-old little Bobby Zimmerman, who later became Bob Dylan.

Upon graduating from Grand Rapids High School, Helen’s superior secretarial skills came to the notice of the government, and she was recruited to work in Washington, DC for the war effort. While living in DC with her twin sister, Helen met and fell in love with Warren N. Allen of Cedar Island Lighthouse fame and began the next chapter of her destiny.

They married Sept. 4, 1946, and she bore four sons. Working various jobs through the years, destiny brought Helen and Warren back to Minnesota in 1970, where they bought the Willow Inn Restaurant in Haypoint, south of Hill City.

After selling the restaurant in 1978, they owned various businesses from North Dakota to Arizona and back to Minnesota, where they retired in 1995.

In retirement, Helen and Warren settled in Chisholm, where Warren passed away in March of 2006. She patiently put up with her family for another nine years and now has fulfilled her destiny to be with her Lord and Warren, the love of her life.

She is survived by four sons: Richard (Linda) Allen of Murfreesboro, TN, Michael Allen of Marble, MN, Kenneth (Terri) Allen of Duluth, and Douglas (Jackie) Allen of Chisholm; her eldest sister, Bertha Wayne of Hill City; her twin sister, Lil Sebald of Sheboygan, WI; 17 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Friends are invited to celebrate Helen’s life with her family at 3 PM on Saturday, April 18, 2015, at Grace Lutheran Church, Chisholm. Arrangements are with Dougherty Funeral Home. To leave an online message of condolence, please visit www.doughertyofhibing.com .