Helen Marie (Eschenburg) Koncaba, 76, of Schulenburg, passed to her eternal home in heaven surrounded by family on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022 at St. David’s Hospital in Austin. She will now be able to spend Christmas with her husband Oscar.
Helen was born in Schulenburg on April 29, 1946, the daughter of the late Charles and Regina (Beyer) Eschenburg. She attended St. Rose of Lima Catholic School and Bishop Forest High School, class of 1964.
Helen met her husband, Oscar Koncaba, on Feb. 9, 1963. They were united in marriage on Feb. 20, 1965 at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Schulenburg. To this blessed union, they welcomed two daughters, Michelle and Kimberly. After their marriage, they made their home in Columbus where she became employed by J.B. White. The family then relocated to Schulenburg where she worked at the Schulenburg Sticker for seven years. Afterward, she went to work for the Victor Stanzel Company in 1978. The company was manufacturing and selling flying toys at the time Helen was employed. She worked in the office typing and completing small parts mail orders among other things. She said working for the company was like working alongside family. After the Stanzel factory closed in 2001, she still worked closely with Ted Stanzel on history all while continuing to ship airplane kits. Her employment then took her to Evelyn’s Antiques where she assisted in managing the store. When Evelyn’s Antiques closed, she found employment elsewhere at Engle Emporium. Although her time working at Engle Emporium was brief, it quickly became a job she not only loved, but was also a place where everyone cared about her as well. She also felt the name Stanzel was her inspiration to work at the Stanzel Model Aircraft Museum by taking a parttime position there in June 2018. With her role at the museum, one of her favorite tasks was giving tours and sharing her knowledge of the Victor Stanzel Company. Helen was also very active in the Boy Scouts of America by serving as an assistant leader for 11 years.
She loved her family dearly and was extremely proud for all the achievement and success of all of them. She enjoyed being around people and had many friends that she greeted with a welcoming smile. It is an understatement to say that she will be missed by everyone whom she was able to meet in her life.
Helen is preceded in death by her loving husband Oscar and her parents Charles and Regina Eschenburg.
Helen is survived by two daughters, Michelle Schuetze and husband Randy of Weimar, and Kimberly Lamascus and husband Ryan of Schulenburg; and her sister, Erna Byrd of Montgomery. She is also survived by her four grandchildren, Kodi Dvorak and wife Emily of Hallettsville, Kori Cooper and husband James of New Braunfels, Colin Schuetze and Nathan Schuetze of Weimar; and two great-granddaughters, Audrey Dvorak of Hallettsville and Emerson Cooper of New Braunfels. All of her grandchildren made her a very proud Nana. Several nieces and nephews also survive.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022 at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Schulenburg. Visitation will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a rosary afterward starting at 9:30 a.m. Interment will be in the St. Rose Catholic Cemetery. Pallbearers will be grandsons Kodi Dvorak, Colin Schuetze and Nathan Schuetze; grandson-in-law, James Cooper; and nephews Rodney Byrd, Russell Byrd, Cameron Byrd and Elmer Dreitner.
The family requests donations be made to St. Rose Catholic Church or a charity of one’s choice.