Obituary: Helen McCullough

Helen Edith Follett McCullough, 91, formerly of Cloquet, passed away peacefully on Aug. 19, 2024, in Marriott-Slaterville, Utah. She was born Nov. 28, 1932, in Moose Lake.

Helen spent her life enriching those around her with her kindness and vibrant spirit.

She married the love of her life, William ("Bill") Francis McCullough, on July 7, 1952. Together they were blessed with three wonderful children: Judi, Mike, and Bruce.

Helen and Bill joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Duluth branch, in May 1967, with their children. Attaining an eternal marriage and family was their most important goal in life. In June 1972, Helen and Bill were sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They faithfully attended the Carlton branch of the church, established in 1979.

Helen's love for her Savior and dedication to serving others were evident in her life. She saw the good in people and wanted to help them believe in and become the best version of themselves. She found great solace and community as a devoted church member, always participating in church positions and activities, a significant aspect of her life.

Helen was resilient to the challenges presented to her. She devoted herself to hard work throughout her life. She focused on raising her children as a stay-at-home mom before returning to the workforce. Many will remember Helen for her years at Bergquist Imports, Ben Franklin, and The Medicine Shoppe in Cloquet. She retired from the pharmacy after 21 years, at age 81.

Helen delighted in genealogy work and sharing family history through storytelling and photos. She also took great pride in her large family and enjoyed gardening, raising chickens, knitting sweaters, making baby blankets, reading detective stories, and solving word search puzzles. She was an avid fan of the game shows "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!" and detective and crime shows like "Blue Bloods" and "Dateline."

Her efforts to control her diabetes and live a healthy lifestyle contributed to her long life. Helen's remarkable memory and contagious laugh will not be forgotten.

Helen is survived by her two children, Judi (Donald) Elmer of Utah, and Michael (Ruthann) McCullough of Wisconsin. Her 12 grandchildren were everything to her: Jennifer (Cory) Hopkins, Dr. Aric (Melissa) Elmer, Holly (Mark) Kempke, Christi (Cody) Branz, Kathryn (David) Jorgensen, William Elmer, Jonathan (Cindy) Elmer, Danielle (Kathy) Jackson, David (Sara) McCullough, Catie (Zachary) Jensen, Stephen (Courtney) McCullough, and Allison (Sam) Aldrich. Helen also cherished her many great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Pearl and Gary Follett; her husband, William ("Bill"); son, Bruce; sister, Beverly Follett Anderson; brothers, Donald Follett, Robert Follett, Elmer Follett, and James Follett; and great-grandson, Zackary Kempke.

Family and friends will gather for a celebration of life in Cloquet during the summer of 2025, with details to be announced closer to the date. Arrangements are by Nelson Funeral Care of Cloquet.

Pine Knot News, Sept. 27, 2024