Mrs. Helen Edith Means

Helen Edith Means, age 89, of Overland Park passed away on April 4, 2011. She was born on January 23, 1922 in Lead, South Dakota, the daughter of George and Edna (Campbell) Bruner. After graduating from Lead High School, she attended Chillicothe Business College, graduating in May of 1942. Helen was employed by TWA as a secretary in June 1942. In 1945 she met her husband Russell Means. Most of her life was spent in Johnson County. There she raised three children. In those years she volunteered 35 years in the Trinity Lutheran Hospital and was active in PTA, serving as their chairman. She was also a member of the Young Matrons Group of Johnson County. In donating 355 acres of land to the Johnson County Parks and Recreation Department, she and her husband are given credit for starting Kill Creek Park. That park, in time, will number 3,000 acres. For that she was presented with a Certificate of Merit by the Board of County Commissioners. The Sierra Club gave her an award for giving land for future generations.
Survivors include her husband, Russell Means; daughters, Michele Means of Holbrook, AZ and Judy and Mike Short of Plano, TX; grandsons Mathew Joshu of Phoenix, AZ, Andrew Joshu of Phoenix; granddaughters Ashley and Jennifer of Plano, TX.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Friday, April 8 at the Bethany Lutheran Church, 9101 Lamar Ave, Overland Park, KS, with visitation starting at 10:00A.M., also at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the church or to the charity of the donor’s choice.

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