October 27, 1930 ~ July 11, 2021 (age 90)
Helen Elizabeth (Del Pizzo) Degenhart was born on October 27, 1930 to Italian immigrants Laurina and Nicola (Nick) Del Pizzo. She was the youngest of four. She had three older brothers, Tony, Al and Frank. She attended Louisville schools, and graduated from Louisville High School in 1948. She helped her older brother Frank deliver papers and was in charge of collecting payments. Frank and Helen were inseparable. She lied about her age when she was fourteen to work during World War II, and would carpool with many others from Louisville to Denver. They had a small stool they would put in the back seat for her. After graduation she began a bookkeeping career working for Hendrie and Bolthoff and then Dow Chemical/Rocky Flats. She had many neat stories of working in Denver.
Helen married Jack Degenhart of Boulder, on July 22, 1962 in the family home. They lived in Illinois until Jack’s discharge from the Air Force. Then they moved back home to Louisville where they raised three children, Jackie, Nick and Ted. She had six grandchildren, Mitch, Nicola, Rachel, Nicholas, Jack and TJ, and one great granddaughter, Marie. She was involved in school functions. She loved hosting family gatherings and baking pizzelles, making Sunday breakfasts and trips to Black Hawk. But most of all she loved being with her family. She was proud of her heritage and being raised in Louisville.
A Recitation of the Rosary will be held at 6:00pm Thursday, July 15, at St. Louis Catholic Church. Mass will be celebrated at 10:00am Friday, July 16 at St. Louis, with inurnment to follow in the Louisville Cemetery.
Heritage Funeral & Cremation Services of Lafayette is handling cremation arrangements.
