Helen Jean Majko

Helen Jean Majko was born Nov. 12, 1933 to Dwight and Avril Kudrle in Sioux City, Iowa. "Jean" grew up the youngest of three children in a strong Protestant family. She spent her childhood days helping her folks in the family ice cream parlor and riding her beloved horse. At the age of 11 she tragically lost her older sister, Myrna, to a car accident. She later attended one year of college in Minnesota where she lived with her aunt. This is where she met the man she couldn't live without, Thomas McGuire. Against her families wishes she ran away to St. Paul, Minn., was confirmed Catholic, and married Thomas on Valentines Day, 1953. Their first son, Tommy, was born prematurely the following October. In 1954 they moved to Casper where their daughter Cindy was born. Work took them to Riverton where child number three, Danny, would be welcomed. Finally, they moved to Rock Springs where they would call home to raise their family, and five more children would be born, Jimmy, Sandy, Bobby, Paul and Sue, making a grand total of 8.

Jean and Tom's love would be put to test and came to an end in 1972 when they were divorced. 1973 brought a new start when she moved to LaCoste, Texas. There she married John Majko and continued to raise her family along with John's children.

They moved back to Rock Springs in 1986. After a long battle with illnesses, she laid John to rest a few years later.

Her grandkids became the center of her life. The 1990s were devoted to those grandkids. Summers were full of taking them to the County Fair, rodeos, drives to see the wild horses, vacations and lots of Kool-Aid smiles at grandma's house.

In 2000 she moved to Idaho where she would call home for the next 13 years with daughter Cindy.

Her final move was to Saratoga in 2013. This would be her final resting place. She passed away on Feb. 5, 2016 at 5 p.m. in Casper, Wyo. She was surrounded by her family.

Helen Jean was a very kind, loving, family-oriented woman. She was very proud of her family and loved to talk about old times. She would take any chance she got to tell her stories of old times or brag about grandbabies. A ride to town, or even sitting in her chair at home would lead to great conversations about life. She was a nurturer. Loved to cook, sew and take care of her family. She also had a great love for animals. She could answer any questions about chickens, dogs, or horses. Her cookbook collection was one anyone would fawn over. We will always be able to hear her saying, "mmm, that sounds good!"

She is preceded in death by her parents Dwight and Avril, her sons Paul and Jimmy, grandson Brenton, husband John, and many other friends and family.

She is survived by her children, Tom, Cindy, Danny, Sandy, Bob and Sue. Twenty grandchildren, and twenty five great grandchildren.

Services were held Feb. 20, 2016 in Saratoga.