Helen Shoars, of Osage, Iowa, and formerly of Grafton, Iowa, died Tuesday, April 12, 2016, at Good Samaritan Center in St. Ansgar, Iowa. She was 88.

Helen Natalee Flugge was born near Elma, Iowa, Dec. 14, 1927, to Albert and Mary (Patten) Flugge of Elma, Iowa. She married Dean Earl Shoars of Osage, Iowa, on June 10, 1945. They had seven children.

In addition to raising her family, Helen was one of the first Tupperware distributors in north Iowa in the 1950s and was one of the few female bus drivers for the St. Ansgar, Iowa, school district. In the early 1970s, Helen and her late husband, Dean, owned Dean’s Place, a bar and grill in Grafton, Iowa, and later owned a craft business called The Wood Box which they operated from the early 80s until their retirement in 1993.

Helen is preceded in death by her husband, Dean Earl Shoars; and sons, Smith Shoars and Mark Shoars. She is also preceded in death by three brothers, Charles, Harold, and Albert “Bert” Flugge; and two sisters, Edith Groth and Dorothy Persing.

She is survived by her children, Meri (Herman) Bauers, Glenville, Minnesota, Dean Alan (Suzanne) Shoars, St. Ansgar, Iowa, Scott “Tim” (Corrine) Shoars, Ventura, Iowa, Ruth Shoars, Webster City, Iowa, and Eric (Julie) Shoars, Austin, Minnesota; daughter-in-law, Dorothy Shoars, Kensett, Iowa; nephew, Larry (Barbara) Newhouse, Oregon, Wisconsin; sister, Caroline Flugge of Kansas City, Missouri; in addition to numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A gathering of family and friends will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, April 30, 2016, at the Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home in Osage, Iowa. Inurnment will be at the Osage Cemetery with Pastor Randy Baldwin officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family of Helen Shoars. Information available and condolences accepted at www.champion-bucheitfuneralhome.com.

Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home, 641-732-3706, is in charge of arrangements.