Helen Maxine Armbruster

Helen Maxine Armbruster departed this life and entered eternal life at home on December 23rd, 2016, with three generations of her family by her side, at the age of 93. She was born on January 27th, 1923 to Estelle Kinnick Brown and Ellis L. Brown in South Dakota. She was born on a reservation near the White River, she always said that she had a bit of American Indian running through her blood, even if it was just by proxy. She grew up in St. Mary's Missouri on the family farm, where hard work was expected, love was abundant and you took hot bricks to bed with you to warm your feet. Helen moved to Chicago during World War II and worked at Emerson Electric War plant making bullets. Helen later married William Armbruster in 1945 in a double wedding with her sister Audrey and Lee Hart. In 1950 they moved their family to make Denver, Colorado home & started a new family business that lasted 43 years. Helen converted to Catholicism early in her married years, and proudly sent all six of her kids through Catholic School. She embedded herself in the Our Lady of Lourdes parish, as one of the founding families and made lifetime friends along the way. She worked at St. Joseph Hospital until she retired. Most important to her was her devotion to family, her faith in God, kindness, friends, her love of quilting, her rose garden and watching the Rockies games together with her sister Wilma by phone. Helen was preceded in death by her parents; all 8 of her siblings; husband William Armbruster; daughter, Cheryl Shackelford; son, Michael Armbruster and grandson, John Stretz. She is survived by her sons; Dennis Armbruster, William Armbruster, Robert Armbruster, and daughter Mary Armbruster. Daughters-in-law; Lisa Zorich and Becky Cooper. Grandchildren; Melissa Stretz, Amy Armbruster, Tish (Kevin) Mungle, Samantha Dupper, Tyler Dupper, Jessica (Kyle) Abt, Katy Hernandez, Shanna (Jaime') Hernandez, Varuna Moore. Great grandchildren; Emily and Madison Mungle, David and Victoria McCarther, Isabella Stretz, Gianluca Gigli, Elijah and Josiah Richardson, Jayden and Kyler Hernandez, Makennah and Annastyn Hernandez, Kamden Abt. Many nieces and nephews around the country. A Memorial Mass will be held at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church on Friday, January 6th, 11am with the interment to follow at Fort Logan National Cemetery at 2:15pm, staging area ""C"" Please leave memories of Helen and condolences for the family by signing the guestbook below. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in her name to: Colorado Ovarian Cancer Alliance http://www.colo-ovariancancer.org Or Craig Hospital www.craighospital.org