Helen Louise Pannone Freel

Helen (Hirschberg) Pannone Freel, a lifelong resident of Topeka, died October 11, 2013, at her home.

Helen was the daughter of Carl Louis and Ruth McKinley Hirschberg. She graduated from Topeka High School and attended Washburn University and Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York.

Helen was a secretary for the Stormont-Vail School of Nursing for four years. She worked on the editorial staff of Capper's Weekly and Topeka Daily Capital newspapers, for ten years. She was a secretary in the detective division and vice narcotic unit at the Topeka Police Department for eight years and assisted the major case squad when it was activated. She was an administrative legal secretary at Washburn University Law School's Legal Clinic for eight years. She retired in 1988.

Helen had been a member of Topeka Bible Church since 1968 and was active in her Sunday school class and participated in several Bible studies. She was on the early auxiliary board of the Topeka Rescue Mission. She served on the original board of the first Christian Women's Club in Topeka and was speaker for several of its Kansas clubs. She was an active member of Topekans Against Crime. She was a member of Shawnee County Republican Women, Kansas Republican Women, and the Federal Committee of Republicans and its Pachyderm Club. She assisted on the Public Relations Committee for the Shawnee County Nixon-Lodge campaign. She was active in her neighborhood, Brookfield West, serving on its board of directors and originating a prayer chain of the Brookfield West women.

Helen married Domenic J. Pannone on September 20, 1952. He preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Max Hirschberg.

Helen married James R. Freel on December 20, 1997. He survives. Other survivors include a brother, William Hirschberg; sons, John Pannone, of LaVista, Nebraska and Rick Pannone (fiancé Roberta Travis) of Topeka; daughter, Diana Pannone Zimmerman (Jim) of Topeka; grandchildren, Nick (Aaron) and Tony (Stephanie) Pannone (and their mother, Michele Cluchey Pannone); Amy and Joe Pannone, (and their mother, Marian Fagan Pannone); Abby Zimmerman Korbe (Luke) and TJ Zimmerman; and Morgan Pannone (and her mother, Jeni Morris Pannone); and six great-grandchildren.

Helen will lie in state after 3 p.m., Monday, October 14 at the Penwell-Gabel Mid-Town Chapel, 1321 SW 10th Ave., Topeka, where the family will receive friends from 5:00-7:00p.m. A funeral ceremony will be held at 10a.m., Tuesday, October 15 at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Penwell-Gabel Cemetery, 6th and Gage, Topeka. Memorial contributions may be made to either Midland Care, 200 SW Frazier Circle, 66606 or to Topeka Bible Church, 1135 SW College Ave., Topeka, KS 66604.

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