The remarkable Helen Frances Leslie-Fyvie (nee Woodward) passed away peacefully on August 26, 2011, in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, two days after she cheerfully celebrated her 103rd birthday with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and their families.

As the fourth of twelve children born to Philip Miner and Daisy Maude (Sartell) Woodward, she spent her childhood near St. Cloud and Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota, where she developed her strong devotion to family. Helen graduated from high school in Detroit, MI. She graduated from nursing school at Highland Park General Hospital near Detroit, MI, and began her long nursing career that included private nursing, Shiner's Hospital for Crippled Children, and Ontonagon Memorial Hospital where she retired at age 69. Helen maintained contact with her nursing school colleagues throughout her life, attending annual reunions until her 100th birthday in 2008.

Helen spent most of her adult life in Ontonagon, Michigan, on the shores of her beloved Lake Superior. She made a point of swimming (as long as the water wasn't so cold as to cause muscle aches after a few minutes) in The Big Lake every summer until she was 102. She loved fishing and camping and was not afraid to feed wild bears strawberry soda and marshmallows (although she gave this up years ago).

Helen was a strong and independent woman who faced challenges with grace, wit, and humor. It was not an unusual day for Helen to be golfing 18 holes at the Ontonagon Golf Course after baking four loafs of homemade bread, mowing the lawn, and bringing homemade cookies to her extensive network of friends. Helen was active in the Ontonagon Methodist Church and sang in the choir until her voice gave out in her late 80's. She was also an avid member of the kitchen band where she played a variety of instruments including the jug, the washboard, and cooking pots. As she explained just after her 102nd birthday, "if you are lucky enough to live this long, you will have so many experiences every day. The important ones are those you share with people you love. Not much else matters."

Helen's spirit, spunk, and legacy continues on through her sister Gail, half-brother Robert Bob Woodward, children Nancy, John, and Karen, grandchildren Denise, Dan, David, Laura, Megan, Tamilyn, and Cassandra and their families including Helen's cherished great-grandchildren Brian, Adam, Anna, Allison, Matthew, Kyle, Sierra, Emma Kate, Benjamin, Madeline, Sydney, Mykah, Kennedy, Brittany, and Trevor, and great-great grandchildren Catherine, Andres and Allessandra. Helen was preceded in death by many loved ones including granddaughter Diana, husband Robert Leslie, and late-in-life husband Phillip Fyvie.

A funeral and celebration of Helen's life will take place at 11:00 am Eastern on Wednesday, August 31, at the Ontonagon Methodist Church in Ontonagon, MI. Visitation will begin at the church one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow at Riverside Cemetery.