Helen Elizabeth Dunham

Helen Elizabeth (Lutes) Dunham, 94, died Thursday, March 1, 2007 at Fredonia Regional Hospital. She was born November 15, 1912 to Harry and Mae (Whitbeck) Lutes in Fredonia, Kansas. She grew up in Fredonia and after graduation from high school and business college, she served as secretary to the superintendent of schools and bookkeeper for the school district for more than nine years. On March 19, 1940, she and Bill Dunham were united in marriage, after which they lived in Miltonvale, Kansas for almost two years where Bill managed a funeral home and furniture store. They returned to Fredonia in 1944, at which time they purchased into the Wilson Funeral Home, thus becoming the Wilson-Dunham Funeral Home. In 1948, the funeral home became known as the Dunham Funeral Home until 1968, when the Dunham"s partnered with Larry and Sheila Timmons, forming the Dunham-Timmons Funeral Home, from which the Dunham"s retired in 1975. Helen held an assistant funeral directors license and worked with her husband for thirty years. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Fredonia, a 62 year member of Chapter N, P.E.O., a lifetime member and past worthy matron of the Order of the Eastern Star, a charter member of the Women"s Investment Group, a member of the Fredonia Arts Council, Friends of the Library and the Historical Society. She also served on the Fredonia Public Library Board and was involved in the Fredonia Music Club, in which she sang for many years. Music played a very important part in Helen"s life. She began piano study at the age of five and violin at the age of 11. She was the organist of the First Church of Christ Scientist for 10 years and enjoyed accompanying soloists and sang with various groups in the community. She sang for 30 years in the Presbyterian Church choir, which her husband, Bill, directed. Her hobbies were reading, music, knitting, needlepoint and traveling. Her beloved mother, a teacher, taught her the love of books at a very early age. She had traveled in 46 states, Mexico and Canada, and their trip to Europe was a childhood dream come true. Helen devoutly believed that without her trust and faith in God"s love and the prayers of her friends and family she would not have survived several surgeries, and later, two strokes. God-given strength enabled her to work each day, pay daily visits to her elderly parents and to care for her husband during his years of ill health. Bill preceded her in death October 16, 1985. Both Helen and Bill worked for the public from the age of 18. Their love for Fredonia and the good people in it, together with their mutual interests and their work made for a busy, full and productive life. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 P.M. on Tuesday, March 6, 2007 at the Timmons Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Ralph Mitchell officiating. Burial will be in the Fredonia City Cemetery. Memorials have been established in her name with the Fredonia Public Library and the Dunham Education Fund through Chapter N P.E.O. and may be sent to the funeral home.