Helen Demich, age 83, a resident of Wheaton, IL, died Monday, November 30, 2015, at home. She was born October 22, 1932 in Chicago, IL.

For the first 50 years of her life, Helen grew up and raised her family on the southside of Chicago. Her parents were Dutch immigrants. Helen went to Francis Parker High School in Chicago. She took Latin ("crazy!"). Helen worked at Hi-Lo grocery store during high school; then the telephone company until she gave birth to Renae in 1954. She was a stay-at-home mom until recently, after which she managed finances at Workers Together in Wheaton.

Helen was married to Ray on March 28, 1952. They were married for 56 years before Ray passed away. Helen has five children (two boys and three girls) and nine grandchildren. Her children are Renae (married to Blair), Ray (married to Jamie), Mark (partnered to Kevin), Val (partnered to Maureen), Jill (married to Eric). Helen had always valued college even though she couldn't attend due to finances. She made sure that all of her children attended college.

Helen was a follower of Jesus Christ from age seven.  She faithfully attended Laflin Street Gospel Hall in Chicago, Oak Lawn Bible Chapel in Oak Lawn and Bethany Chapel in Wheaton. She served tirelessly at Lake Geneva Youth Camp for many years.

Helen and Ray loved to travel…visiting 37 states. Of even greater joy was establishing and working at Lake Geneva Youth Camp since it's founding in 1950. Helen spent many hours each week playing piano – both for pleasure and for nearly every church service she attended.

She is survived by her five children, Renae English, Ray Demich, Mark Demich, Val Demich and Jill Craig; her nine grandchildren, Dan, Joy, Bryan and Erin English, and Brittiny, Kaitlyn, Chase, Taylor and Colton Craig; and her two sisters, Charlotte Hamilton and Thelma Hinshelwood.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond M. Demich; her parents, Edith and Peter Waganaar; her brothers, John and Ted Waganaar; and her sister, Johanna Meisner.

A visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 2, 2015 from 3:00 p.m. until the time of a funeral service to be held at 7:00 p.m. at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St., in Wheaton, IL. Interment will be private at Wheaton Cemetery in Wheaton, IL.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Christian Missions in Many Lands (CMML), Inc, PO Box 13, Spring Lake, NJ 07762-0013.