Helen was born in Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska, to Frank and Frances Jirovsky.  The youngest of six children, her siblings were Lloyd, Frances, Mary, Frank and Agnes.  They lived on the family farm in Cedar Bluffs where she spent her days doing many chores assigned to her.  Faith was very important to her parents and the family would spend Sundays going to church and socializing with other families.  Helen had a huge interest in teaching and received a teaching degree from Midland College.  She loved baking, quilting, art and music.  She taught herself to play the piano.

Helen married Lloyd Virgil in 1947.  They moved to his family farm near Raymond, Nebraska, and had six children: Marie, Lucille, Roseann, Leslie, Richard and Joseph.  10 years after they married, Lloyd passed away from a brain tumor.  Helen moved her children to her sister’s farm where she sold eggs and milk to provide for her family.  She then bought a small house in Weston, Nebraska, where she ironed clothes, and worked at the local bank to pay for the needs of her family.  She soon met Adolph Hedges and they were married in 1961.  They lived on Adolph’s family farm and added three more boys to the family: Robert, Douglas and Nicholas.

Helen continued to be active in the Catholic Church.  She cooked for the nuns in Weston, she ironed church linens and vestments and made floral arrangements for church.  She served on many women’s groups and contributed her baked goods to different fundraisers.  At a church auction, one of her strudels sold for $200.

Helen is preceded in death by her first husband, Lloyd Virgil, her second husband, Adolph Hedges, and three of her sons, Nicholas (1993), Robert (2022) and Richard (2023).

Helen is survived by her children, Marie (Paul) Aksamit, Lu (Craig) Vavak, Leslie Virgil, Roseann Virgil, Joe (Sue) Virgil, Doug (Jodi) Hedges and daughters-in-law, Jean Hedges and Teresa Virgil. Helen has 19 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.

“To our beloved Mother:  We will always remember you as the kind, warm and loving person you were.  You uplifted everyone you came in contact with.  We admire your strong faith in God.  You were a light of hope to those around you.  We see the world full of wonder because of your imagination and natural teaching ability.  We learned to never give up by watching you use your unwavering faith in God to overcome pain, adversity and extreme loss!   Your presence may not be felt anymore but the impact you made will continue on forever.  We will cherish the moments and memories we had with you.  We love you and we will miss you forever.”