-- O B I T U A R Y --
HELEN LUCILLE MAGEE
November 9, 1915 - March 17, 1999
from the Hot Springs Star, March 19, 1999
Helen Lucille Magee of Hot Springs was born November 9, 1915, at Sisters Hospital in Hot Springs, SD, to Floyd Alvin Trumbull and Frances Mac Sween Trumbull. She passed away at her home on March 17, 1999.
In 1918 the family moved to a ranch near Erskine in Minnekahta Valley where they lived until 1936. Helen attended the Erskine rural school and Hot Springs High School.
She married Orville Williams in June of 1938 and lived in Lusk, Wyoming and Crawford, Neb.
After returning to Hot Springs in 1939 she worked at Mashburn's Clothing Store, JC Penneys and Ben Franklin. She started working for J.J. March's grocery store and dairy in 1941. In 1942 she began delivering milk and groceries locally for March's when the male employees left for war related work. She continued this employment until 1947 when the store and dairy were sold.
September 1, 1947 she began work for her father at the Floyd A. Trumbull Insurance and Real Estate office at 142 S. Chicago. For the next 26 years she worked with her father in the insurance, real estate and income tax preparation business. In December of 1973 Floyd turned the insurance and tax preparation business over to Helen and it became the Trumbull Agency. She continued in business until 1986 when she retired after 39 years in the same location.
Her interest in genealogy began in 1949 when she took her Mother to Sidney, Iowa for a family reunion. During the next 50 years she did extensive research and compiled voluminous records about her family.
On August 18, 1951 she married Orris Magee. Until his death in 1956 they shared an interest in family history and enjoyed traveling throughout the United States and Canada pursuing this interest.
She was a member of Jedediah Smith Corral of Westerners International, Fall River County Historical Society, Seekers and the Mammoth Site. She was also a member of several other state historical and genealogical societies. She served for many years on the Hot Springs Library Board and also worked as a volunteer at the Fall River County Museum.
She originated the column Ninety Years Ago which appears in the Hot Springs Star.
Her hobbies were genealogy, local history, reading, gardening, hunting and playing Minnekahta Pitch.
Helen began taking a serious interest in local history during the 1970's. Her collection of photos, historical data and memorabilia became well known in this area. Newspapers, schools and other organizations frequently made use of her historical information and photos. She provided genealogical information for many individuals locally, nationally and internationally.
She is survived by two sister, Barbara Merrill of Hot Springs and Virginia Williams of Fremont, California, 10 nieces and nephews, numerous great-nieces and great-nephews and a host of friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Orris Magee and brother, Jack Marshall Trumbull.
Graveside services were held Monday, March 22 at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis with Chaplain Simon Looking Elk officiating. Helen's desire was that memorial contributions be made to the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs.