Helen Zant

Helen Zant lived a long, rich life marked by boundless love for her family and unshakable commitment to her faith. She devoted countless hours to sharing her faith with others and offering comfort to those in need. A loving wife, mother, and grandmother, Helen took great pride in seeing her family grow, and her children and grandchildren were her greatest treasures.

In 1930, the nation was reeling from the stock market crash of the previous year and just entering the darkest days of the Great Depression. Over the next few years, thousands of banks would fail and millions of families fell on hard times. Prohibition would not be repealed for another three years, and gangsters like Al Capone captured the public’s attention. In popular culture, movies and radio were the dominant forms of entertainment. It was the beginning of a decade of trials and triumph and rapid change. It was also a time of joy for Andrew and Mary Kuchek as they welcomed the birth of their daughter, Helen, on January 24, 1930 in Midland, MI.

As a young woman, Helen was exceptionally bright. She was Valedictorian of her class at Midland High School, and would go on to attend Western Michigan University. While at Western, she worked summers at the Dow Chemical Company. After completing her degree, Helen worked at the Upjohn Company in Kalamazoo, first in the Research Division, and then in Administration as Assistant to the Executive Vice President.

On November 16, 1963, Helen married Edward R. Zant and became a full time wife and mother, devoting herself to raising the couple’s two children, Tom and Mary Sue. After nearly 22 years of marriage, Edward passed away on June 9, 1985.

Helen spent much of her life working to help others. She was an active member of St. Catherine of Siena Church, serving as Lector and Eucharistic Minister. She was also a member of the Resurrection Choir, Prayer Chain, Rosary Group, the Funeral Lunch program, a volunteer at Kalamazoo Right to Life, and a weekly visitor at Alterra, Clarebridge, and Tendercare Nursing Homes.

When she wasn’t serving at her church or tending to her family, Helen loved playing card games, especially bridge, euchre, and poker. She was a University of Michigan Wolverines fan and liked good movies, white zinfandel, and exercising daily at the gym. More than anything though, she loved visiting her children and getting to know her grandchildren. She enjoyed spending time with them and being with them for all their special occasions. Her fondest memory was the custom that all five grandchildren, no matter what their age, slept in sleeping bags on the floor of her extra room when visiting.

Helen passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 19, 2016. An amazing mother and grandmother, she will be greatly missed and leaves behind a legacy of love that stands as a model to all those who knew her.

Helen is survived by her 2 children: Tom (Lorene) Zant and Mary Sue (David) Slack; 5 grandchildren: Taylor and Brooke Zant, and Trevor, Kaylie and Mason Slack; 2 brothers: Leonard and Bernard Kuchek; and many nieces and nephews. Visit with family and friends while sharing food and refreshments on Friday from 5-8 PM at theLife Story Funeral Homes, Betzler – Kalamazoo; 6080 Stadium Drive (269-375-2900), where the rosary will be recited at 7:30 PM that evening. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday 10 AM at St. Augustine Cathedral, 542 West Michigan Ave. Following the mass, a luncheon will be shared at the funeral home in the Life Story Center. Burial will take place Monday 10 AM at Ft. Custer National Cemetery, Augusta. Please visit Helen’s personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can archive a favorite memory or photo of her and sign her online guestbook before coming to the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer's Association.