HELEN O'CONNOR

Helen O'Connor, 77, of Lake Andes, died Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at the Lake Andes Senior Living Center in Lake Andes. Funeral services were Monday, January 5 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Marty. Burial was in St. Paul’s Catholic Cemetery, Marty. Wake services began Saturday at the White Swan Community Center in Lake Andes. Peters Funeral Home in Wagner was in charge of arrangements.

Helen Susan O’Conner was born on November 30, 1948, to Oliver and Tillie Spotted Eagle-O’Conner. She was the fifth child in the family, joining her siblings Mark (who passed away shortly after birth), Guy, Theresa, and Micheal. A younger sister, Delphine, was born later.

Helen completed eleven years of schooling at Marty during a time when the treatment of students attending boarding schools was deeply harmful. Because of these conditions, she made the difficult decision to leave and was never able to return to complete her education.

Helen began her family with the birth of her first child, Gina, and over the next twenty-three years, she welcomed ten more children: Celeste, Connie, Marcia, Terrence, Rochelle, Faron, Angela, Mattia, Allan, and Divana.

She was a homemaker for most of her life, devoted to caring for her children. She also worked for a time at the old treatment center and halfway house, and later at the Fort Randall Casino. Helen enjoyed playing the machines at the casino, especially at Pumper Nik’s.

Helen endured several health challenges before entering the L.A. Nursing Home on February 26, 2019. She remained a resident there until her passing on December 30, 2025.

Helen will be remembered for her deep love for her children, her humor, strength, endurance, and her stubborn spirit. She leaves to mourn all her children, her sister Delphine, as well as her nieces, nephews, cousins, and grandchildren.