Helms Funeral Homes

02/04/2026

Leo Macal, age 86, of Decorah, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at Accura Healthcare in Cresco, Iowa.

Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at Decorah Lutheran Church, 309 Winnebago St., Decorah, Iowa, with Pastor Peter Kowitz presiding. Burial will follow at the Freeport Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at the church on Tuesday.

Full obituary to follow.

View Leo Macal's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

02/01/2026

James “Jim” Mensen, age 79, of Decorah, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at his home in Decorah, Iowa.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, February 6, 2026, at St. Benedict Catholic Church, 307 W Main Street, Decorah, Iowa with Rev. Donald Hertges presiding. Burial will be in the church cemetery with full military rites.

Visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at Helms Funeral Home, 306 E Water Street, Decorah, Iowa. A rosary will be held at 3:30 p.m. before the visitation on Thursday at the funeral home.

Full obituary to follow.

View James "Jim" Mensen's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

01/30/2026

Dennis Woodhouse, age 70, of Decorah, Iowa, passed away Thursday, January 29, 2026, at Ossian Care Center in Ossian, Iowa.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 16, 2026, at St. Benedict Catholic Church, 307 W Main St, Decorah, IA 52101, with Rev. Donald Hertges presiding. Burial will follow at the St. Benedict Catholic Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at St. Benedict Church on Monday.

Full obituary to follow.

View Dennis Woodhouse's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

01/27/2026

Loren Kiel, age 78, of Decorah, Iowa, and Scottsdale, Arizona, passed away at his home in Decorah on January 26, 2026.

Funeral service will be held at a later date this spring.

View Loren Kiel's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

01/25/2026

Dennis Olejniczak, age 86, of Decorah, Iowa passed away on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at Barthell Eastern Star Nursing Home in Decorah, Iowa.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, February 2, 2026, at First Lutheran Church, 604 W Broadway Street, Decorah, Iowa with Pastor Mike Wilker presiding. Private burial will be at the Lutheran Cemetery in Decorah.

Celebration of Life will be held after the service from 1:00-6:00 p.m. on Monday, February 2, 2026, at the Winneshiek County fairgrounds community building.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may go to the family at 1425 Wicklow Dr. Robins, IA 52328. The family will make donations to First Lutheran Church, Winneshiek County Hospice and care for Olejniczak baseball field at the Decorah High School.

Full obituary to follow.

View Dennis Olejniczak's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

01/22/2026

Lawrence Jensen, age 91 of Decorah, Iowa (formerly of New Hampton), passed away Thursday, January 22, 2026, at The Highlands (Aase Haugen) in Decorah, Iowa.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at United Methodist Church, 302 W. Broadway St., Decorah, Iowa, with Rev. Cat Stokes presiding.

Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Friday, January 30, 2026, at Helms Funeral Homes, 306 E. Water Street, Decorah, Iowa 52101. There will be no visitation before the church service on Saturday.

View Lawrence Jensen's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

01/21/2026

🤍 Today is National Hugging Day 🤍

A hug can offer what words sometimes can't - comfort, love, and presence. Today is a reminder to hold the people who matter most close, to offer reassurance in moments of joy and in times of grief, and to never take those embraces for granted.

Sometimes, the simplest gesture means everything. 🤗

01/19/2026

Today, we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the powerful reminder that our voices matter. May we continue to speak with compassion, stand for what is right, and care deeply for one another - especially within our community. 🤍

01/17/2026

Steven Langland, age 68, of Decorah, Iowa passed away on Friday, January 16, 2026, at The Highlands (Aase Haugen) in Decorah, Iowa.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at Helms Funeral Home, 306 E Water Street, Decorah, Iowa with Rev. Matthew Becker presiding. Burial will be at the Highland Lutheran Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service at Helms Funeral Home on Saturday morning.

In lieu of flowers donations and memorials can be made to the Winneshiek County 4-H and The Highlands (Aase Haugen) Capital Campaign.

Full obituary to follow.

View Steven Langland's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

01/16/2026

Residents, friends, and families are invited to join us for an evening of dessert and helpful conversation on advanced funeral planning. Hope to see you there!

01/16/2026

Ronald "Butch" Michels, age 71, of Decorah, Iowa, passed away Monday, January 12, 2026, at Mayo Clinic Health System in LaCrosse, WI, surrounded by family. He died of interstitial lung disease.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at St. Benedict Catholic Church, 307 W Main St., Decorah, Iowa, with Rev. Donald Hertges presiding. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be from 3:00-7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at Helms Funeral Home, 306 E Water St., Decorah, Iowa. Also, from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at the church on Wednesday morning.

View Ronald Michels's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

01/14/2026

As we begin a new year, it’s a meaningful time to consider the peace of mind that comes with pre-planning. Taking steps today helps ease the burden on loved ones tomorrow - allowing your wishes to be honored and your family to focus on what truly matters.

Prioritizing pre-planning is a gift of clarity, care, and love. 🤍 To start the process of pre-planning or to ask more questions, connect with our team today.