Helen Carol Dew

Helen Carol (Bugg) Dew of Fairview, MI 1935 - 2023

July 11, 1935 – November 12, 2023

Helen Carol Dew, age 88, passed away on Sunday, November 12, 2023.

Surviving her is her daughter Debra J. Dew, son Elliot C. (Deborah) Dew, son Farley D. (Denise) Dew, son in law Michael E. Lillie, daughter Krystal K. Yoder, granddaughters Misty C. Dew, Jennifer L. Walker, Lacy A. (Tom) Hager, Emily J. (Josh) Lenneman, and Chelsea Q. Evans, grandsons Alexander E. (Tonya) Dew and Ashton M. (Jennifer) Evans, beloved great-grandchildren, her sisters Elsie (the late Joe) Bixel and Marie (the late Don) McIntyre, and her brother Theodore Burke.

Along with her parents, Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Richard H. Dew, a son Anthony R. Dew, and a daughter Jennifer M. Lillie.

Helen was raised in the Flynn Valley area of Curran where she lived with her parents and eight other siblings. When her father started his business, Pilgrim Log Cabins, they moved to Mio.

Helen loved to tell that she never had a drink of alcohol in her whole life. But her favorite story, one that would bring a smile to her lips and a twinkle to her eye, was how Richard was sitting in his car waiting for her in the school parking lot the day she graduated high school. Sometimes she would tell he had been waiting months for that day to arrive, sometimes it was years. However long it actually was, he asked her if he could take her for a ride. After a discussion of his intentions and how he would behave, off they went. Seven months later, they married on December 14, 1954.

Helen was a devoted wife and mother. While she was not the best cook early in the marriage, it became one of her proudest accomplishments. She will always be remembered for her big, soft buns. She mastered making those rolls, her famous onion bread, jiggers, pretzel buns, cookies, cakes, muffins, and pies. There was always room at the table for more to join. Her sons were especially good at bringing home other hungry teenage boys from school with them and they were always welcome and well fed. Many of her children’s friends called her Mom also. She sent her kids to school with homemade food in their lunch bags, and ungrateful that they were, they just wanted processed store-bought food like all the other kids had. It didn’t take them long to figure out a barter system for her goodies. And if she packed them pizza for their lunch, they had it made that day!

Richard, Helen, and their three oldest children moved into a small cabin near his parents in Fairview. As they had more children, they added rooms onto the cabin, ending up with a total of sixteen, although why they never added an additional bathroom will always be a mystery. Helen loved her big home in the country, taking care of the lawn and then swinging in one of the many lawn swings. She learned to sew in that home and for many years made clothing for her family. After her father-in-law passed away, she made quilts with her mother-in-law.

Helen loved to travel with her daughter Krystal. One of her dreams was to go to Hawaii and Krystal took her for her 65th birthday. They made several trips back. They drove cross-country to California to visit her daughter Debra. She would ride down to Florida every Winter and spend at least two weeks soaking up the sun.

Although there were some hard times, Helen met the world with a red lip-sticked smile and a sparkle. She loved her family with the biggest heart. Her children were not allowed to use the word hate. And if they would laugh or make fun of someone less fortunate, she would say, “There but for the grace of God goes I”. They are comforted by the thought that their Dad was once again sitting in the driver’s seat of that car, this time with Jen in the back seat, waiting to take her on that drive to eternity together.

Per her wishes, immediate cremation took place and no services will be held.

Memorial donations may be directed to the Fairview Mennonite Church for the Relief Fund.

Arrangements by Lashley Funeral Home, Mio, Michigan.