Helen Kopp Schwenn, 92, died on Feb. 18 in Oak Ridge.
Helen was born Sept. 16, 1920, in Monroe, Wis., and spent her formative years in the Swiss community of New Glarus, Wis., where her father was a cheese maker.
She met her husband of 52 years, Marvin F. Schwenn, in Madison, Wis.
After a short time in New York City, where Marvin joined Union Carbide Corp. and the Manhattan Project at Columbia University, they relocated to Oak Ridge in August of 1944.
In the early days of building a community in Oak Ridge, Helen and her husband were involved in many civic and social activities. Her primary focus was as a homemaker and on her family. She was a loving mother who will be dearly missed by her two daughters, Carolyn Schwenn of Knoxville and Margaret Bartuch of Oak Ridge.
Helen was active at the Art Center of Oak Ridge, volunteered at the Methodist Medical Center gift shop, and was involved in many activities at Grace Lutheran Church. She and her husband enjoyed traveling in the United States and abroad, and many weekends were spent with the family on Norris Lake. Helen loved to entertain friends and was an avid gardener, bird watcher, and bridge player.
Helen is predeceased by her father and mother, Fred Kopp and Lena Regli Kopp; her husband, Marvin F. Schwenn; brother, Fred Kopp Jr.; and, sister, Betty Hansen.
In addition to her daughters, she is survived by her brother, Harold Kopp and his wife Barbara; sister-in-law, Marie Binggeli; and many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to extend their thanks to the staff at Greenfield Senior Living Center; her physician for many years, Dr. Helen Vodopick; and her caregiver, Waynette Whaley.
A memorial service will be held at 4:30 p.m., Thursday, March 14, at Grace Lutheran Church. The family invites friends for a reception at the church following the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oak Ridge, 131 W. Gettysburg Ave., Oak Ridge, TN 37830.
Weatherford Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements. An online guest book can be signed at www.weatherfordmortuary.com.
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