Obituary of Helen M Mickelson
Helen M. Sveen Mickelson, 96, died peacefully on October 17, 2024, in her home in Basking Ridge, NJ. Helen was born in Bayport, MN to Haakon Sveen and Mabel Brown Sveen. She graduated from The University of Wisconsin, with a Bachelor of Education.
Helen married her college sweetheart, Lawrence (Lorry) Mickelson and taught as a kindergarten teacher in the early years of their marriage. After giving birth to her son, Brian Thomas, Helen became a full-time mom. Initially making their home in Hudson and eventually moving to Des Plains, IL., where the family grew adding two daughters Lisa Marie and Nancy Ellen. In 1966 the family moved to Overland Park, KS. Helen was a busy mother and homemaker, as well as a lovely hostess, creating many themed home parties for her children and their adult friends. She also learned how to do ceramics and had a studio in her home, teaching as well as creating her own pieces. They next moved to Annapolis, MD. in the mid-seventies. Helen became active in the quilting guild and created many lovely, stitched pieces. She also began her love of antiques and began her thimble collection, which would grow to over 250 pieces.
After Helen was widowed, she moved with her girls to Colorado Springs, CO to be closer to her sister. There she would stay for nearly 40 years and begin her next craft, beading! She enjoyed many solo road trips to visit her now adult children on both the East and West coasts from home base in Colorado. In 2015 Helen moved to Basking Ridge, NJ to be closer to her children. Here she continued her beading, reading and completing many a jigsaw puzzle.
Helen did many crafts in her life. She did rosemaling, part of her Norwegian heritage. She was accomplished at many needle crafts. She could tat, crochet, knit, needlepoint, quilt, sew, smock, paint, bead and do ceramics. Helen was very active in the Embroiders’ Guild of America, and The American Needlepoint Society. She always had a project going and took many advanced classes to expand her skills. But the last 25 years she concentrated on beading. Every year she designed a new beaded Christmas ornament and produced dozens of them for family as well as for sale. Helen was also an avid reader and began each day with a devotional. Her Lutheran faith was the core of her spirit.
Helen is survived by her son Brian T. Mickelson and partner, Robert Mazza of Westport, CT; her daughter Lisa Bogart and husband, Rod of San Rafael, CA and grandson Zachary of Portland OR; and her daughter Nancy Alfano and husband, Dominick of Bernardsville, NJ.
Her funeral service will take place at Bethel Lutheran Church in Hudson, (Downtown Location) 920 Third Street, Hudson, WI on Wednesday December 11, 2024 at 11am.
Donations in Helen Mickelson’s memory can be given to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
