Gettysburg, SD - Helen D. Petersen, 92, of Black Hawk died on Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at the Oahe Haven care center in Gettysburg SD.  She was born August 4, 1927 at the family farm near Trail City, SD, the daughter of Jacob and Dorthea Balliet.

Helen graduated from McLaughlin High School, where she was a boarding student.  After High School she began her teaching career at the Fisher School and later at the Beaver School, both in Corson County, SD.  During summers she attended college at Northern State Teacher College, completing her formal education at South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD with a degree in Home Economics in 1952.  From there she taught High School Home Ec in Three Rivers, MT, McIntosh, SD and Mobridge, SD.  She also was involved in several Home Ec related professional organizations.  While in Washington, DC, she was a fashion designer for the Minnesota Fabrics Co., where she headed the fashion department and worked with many seamstresses for foreign dignitaries.

Helen married Dennis L. Petersen on June 6, 1956 in Morristown, SD.  To this marriage, one son, Douglas Charles Petersen was born in 1960.  In supporting Dennis' career in the federal government, Helen followed him on postings to Mobridge, SD, Tucson, AZ, Duluth, MN, Vermillion, SD, Pierre, SD, Sisseton, SD, Aberdeen, SD, and Washington D.C.  They retired to Black Hawk, SD in 1983.

I n Black Hawk, with Dennis, Helen assisted in the planting of Divine Shepherd Luthern Church in Black Hawk, using her talent to create fabric designs for the different alter cloths, curtains, and other upholstery needed in the new church.  She continued her involvement in the church whenever she was in Black Hawk.  Helen spent time at the family ranch in Parade, SD, where she assisted in the upbringing of her grandsons, Carl and Curtis, relocating there for good in 2012.  In February of 2014 she moved to Gettysburg to the Oahe Manor and later to the Haven.

She was preceded in death by her father Jacob Balliet (1955) and her mother Dorthea Strobel (1970), and all of her siblings:  Bertha Munsell (2010), Pauline Kyburz (1996), Elenor Harder (2019), Albert Balliet (1981), Glenn Balliet (1993), Arnold Balliet (1942), Walter Balliet (2013), and Marvin Balliet (2005).

She is survived by her son Douglas Petersen (Cora) of Parade, SD, two grandsons Carl Petersen of Madison, SD and Curtis Petersen of Spearfish, SD, sister-in-laws Shirley Balliet of Garden Grove, CA, Margie Balliet of Rapid City, SD, Tiny Farlee (Keith) from Lantry, SD, Marilyn (Roland) Roth of Flasher, ND and Pat Fish of Cedro Wooley, WA, and brother-in-law Bill Curley of Spearfish, SD, along with  numerous Balliet and Petersen nephews and nieces.

Pallbearers: Carl Petersen, Curtis Petersen, Terry DeRouchy, Allen Petersen, Jim Munsell, and Jerry Balliet, Arden Petersen, and Rick Farlee.

Honorary Pallbearers:  Tom and Lorinda Collings, Cathleen and Aaron Denekamp and Care givers at Oahe Manor and Haven, and all her friends and relatives.

Services will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, December 7 at Divine Shepherd Lutheran Church in Black Hawk.

The family suggests memorials to: The Indian University of North America, Crazy Horse Memorial, 12151 Avenue of the Chiefs, Crazy Horse, SD 57730.