Helen Just, of Burnsville, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 3, 2020 at the age of 79. She was loved by all who knew her. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 8, 2020 from 4:00 – 6:00 PM at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation (4565 Pleasant Street SE) in Prior Lake. Funeral service is Thursday, July 9, 2020 at 10:00 AM with visitation from 9:00 – 10:00 AM at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (5634 Luther Road SE) in Prior Lake. Pastor John P. Vaughn will preside. Rod Just, Michael Just, Matthew Just, Bennett Just, Maverick Just, and John Ryan Dahl will act as pallbearers. Helen will be laid to rest at Pleasant View Memorial Gardens. A procession to the cemetery will follow for those who wish to attend.
Face masks and social distancing are required. Visitors are invited to wear RED in honor of Helen’s favorite color.
Helen Jeanette Ostby was born August 4, 1940 to parents Clarence and Winnifred (Steeves) Ostby. Helen was the oldest of five children with siblings, Karen, Lynne, Vicki and Carl.
While in high school, Helen met the love of her life; a handsome young soldier named Herbert Just. Helen & Herb’s love blossomed, and they exchanged wedding vows on June 28, 1959. They settled in Fargo, ND to start their new life together. They were blessed with two children, Rod & Sheila and 50 years together.
Herb and Helen moved their family in 1969 to Burnsville, MN. Helen had several jobs until she found her calling and worked at Northwest Airlines for 32 years. Because of her work, Helen and Herb were able to travel the world. They took many trips to Hawaii and enjoyed international travel as well. Helen especially loved visiting Korea. Not only would she vacation there to shop, but she also volunteered with the Northwest program that allowed staff to travel with infants who were being adopted by families in the United States. Helen showed love to many children on the long plane ride from Korea to the United States.
In her free time, Helen enjoyed going to garage sales. She was a bargain hunter and always came home with some kind of treasure. She also had a sweet tooth and loved cotton candy and black licorice. Helen enjoyed the MN State Fair which she never missed and attended two or three times each year.
She was a talented crafter who hand-made greeting cards, and each week she would send cards to any of her family or friends who had a birthday, were sick, or just needed to know that someone was thinking of them. This was Helen’s very own ministry, and it meant the world to so many.
Helen loved gardening—hostas and dahlias were her favorites. She had many hobbies, but the most important things in her life were faith, family, and friends. She had the best friends and neighbors who were always willing to lend a helping hand which allowed her to stay in her home until the very end. Helen adored her grandchildren and was able to help raise them in her retirement. She had a strong faith and was an active member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Prior Lake. She did a devotional and read the bible daily.
The past decade, Helen struggled with COPD. Her family finds strength in knowing that Helen can now breathe freely and has been reunited with her Herbie. Helen will be remembered always by her loving children, Rod (Cece) Just and Sheila Just; grandchildren, Michael (Lucy) Just, Matthew (Anne) Just, Bennett Just, Maverick Just; great-grandchildren, Ezra Just, Lukas Just, Rhys Just; siblings, Karen Reed, Lynne Dahl, Vicki Stucker, Carl Ostby; and her four-legged friend, Sunny; many other loving relatives and friends.
Helen was greeted in Heaven by her husband, Herb Just; parents, Clarence, Winnifred, and Laura Ostby.
