Helen Joanne Pahl

Helen Pahl touched many people’s lives in her 89 extraordinary years. She was born in rural eastern Iowa on December 31, 1935, to Emma and Carl A. Zauche. She joined one older brother, Carl L. Zauche. Growing up on the Zauche farm meant there were always chores to do. Being much younger than her brother, Helen’s chores usually involved helping her mother make lunch for the farm hands and taking care of the kitties. As the only young girl on the farm, she made friends with the kitties and sometimes dressed them in doll clothes and pushed them around the farm in a stroller. She was always creative and able to entertain herself.

Helen was proud of her German heritage. She attended the nearby one-room Johnson Schoolhouse through eighth grade. She then went to high school in Dubuque, which required that she live with an aunt during the week and came back to the farm on weekends and breaks. From her father she learned to be self sufficient, practical, and a little stubborn when she needed to be. From her mother she learned how to make hot German potato salad, which she always said tasted best served with a cold beer.

Helen went to college at Iowa State University obtaining her bachelor’s degree in education with ambitions to pursue Home Economics. She met her first husband, Don Baker, at ISU. After graduation in 1958, Helen and Don were married on the Zauche family farm. They had three children; Phillip in 1960, Steven in 1962, and Susan in 1965. Don’s job would move the family to Oakland, IA, in 1970. Helen became a Home Ec teacher in Avoca. She was not only a teacher by trade, but she also had a natural inclination to help others learn new skills. One of the most fulfilling areas in her life was giving sewing lessons to family, friends, customers, and 4-H kids. Many of her past students went on to have careers using the sewing skills learned from Helen. Her daughter, Susan, recalls that one of her first memories of her mother was teaching her to sing Christmas carols. Helen also enjoyed teaching her grandkids important skills such as how to read a road map. When her church sponsored a refugee family in Oakland, she taught the family about home making and her love for Jesus Christ.

Helen’s true passion was sewing. In 1973 she achieved her dream of opening her own fabric store - Helen’s Stitch ’N Time in Oakland. When her kids were young, she sewed many of their clothes. She even made leisure suits for her sons and husband in the ‘70s. She started quilting in the ‘80s and gifted many family members with her cherished quilts. One of her great joys was making baby quilts for new grandkids and great-grandkids. She made beautiful quilted table coverings, wall hangings, potholders, and Christmas decorations. She even made the current wall covering in the choir loft of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Excelsior. For many years, she enjoyed organizing the quilt club at Our Savior. Helen’s Stitch ’N Time provided a place for Helen to connect with many people in the community and she employed several friends and family members. Because Helen’s birthday fell on New Year’s Eve it was not uncommon for Helen to spend her birthday at the store with her friends doing year-end inventory. She was well known for treating everyone to a glass of Cold Duck during the busy afternoon of button counting.

When the fabric store closed, Helen went back to school to obtain a Master’s degree in Special Education. She taught Special Ed in Oakland for many years before retiring in 2000. She then moved to Excelsior, MN to be near her son, Steve, and his family. She met her second husband, Loren Pahl, while singing in the church choir. Helen and Loren were married from 2003 until Loren passed in 2022. During the early years of their marriage, Helen and Loren enjoyed golfing and wintering in Texas. They got a cat and named her Gretchen as an homage to Helen’s German roots. When Gretchen passed away, they got another cat and also named her Gretchen. When asked why she chose the same name, Helen said it was practical because they wouldn’t have to learn a new name. Plus, she said Gretchen is always a good name for a cat.

Helen and Loren moved to Lake Minnetonka Shores because Helen knew there would come a day when they would need assistance and she always wanted to be prepared. It was important to Helen to be able to take care of herself and Loren as long as possible. As the years progressed, Helen was able to live on her own until September 2024 when Alzheimer’s disease necessitated the move to memory care. She passed away peacefully in her apartment on January 27, 2025. The family would like to thank the staff at Lake Minnetonka Shores and Optage Hospice for caring for Helen in her final days.

Helen is survived by her 3 children: Phil Baker of Fort Mill, Steve Baker of Excelsior, and Susan (Larry) Conyers of Atlanta; 5 grandchildren, Faylyn (Nate) Yarger, Jesse (Jonathan) Conyers, Jake Conyers, Werner Baker, and Nathan Baker; and 3 great-grandchildren, Paxton Yarger, Stella Hill, and Jesse Hill. Also surviving are 3 nephews, 1 niece, and Gretchen 2.0.

A service to celebrate Helen’s life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, February 8 at Lake Minnetonka Shores, 4559 Shoreline Dr, Spring Park, MN.