Obituary - Sophie 'Toby' Helmbrecht

Sophie "Toby" Helmbrecht, 96, of Havre, died peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, June 6, 2021, at the Care and Comfort Home.

Cremation has taken place. Her vigil service will be held at 7:00 p.m., Friday, June 18, 2021, and her funeral mass will be at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 19, 2021, all at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church. Burial will follow in Highland Cemetery.

Holland & Bonine has been entrusted with services and arrangements.

Please visit Toby's online memorial page and leave a message of condolence for her family at http://www.hollandbonine.com .

Toby was born on September 21, 1924, in Havre, to Joseph and Janine Skindell. She attended school in Havre and graduated from Havre High School in 1942. Her work life began as a crane operator and foreman at the Kaiser Shipyards in Vancouver, Washington, during World War II. She returned to Havre after the war, and married Vern Helmbrecht (Helmbrecht Photography) in 1950. The couple was blessed with four children.

Toby was involved in many civic organizations, including St. Jude Thaddeus Church, Catholic Daughters, Havre Area Chamber of Commerce, United Way, Hill County Library, Superintendent of Floriculture at the Hill County Fair, Montana Fair Association, Retired Teachers Association, Parish Council of Catholic Women, RSVP, and was a reading tutor at Havre Elementary Schools for several years. After seeing her children through high school, Toby worked as the Assistant Director of Placement at Northern Montana College for many years.

After retirement, she travelled extensively through Europe, Asia, Alaska, Hawaii, and throughout the continental United States. She will always be remembered for her warm smile, kind words and compassionate concern for her community, friends, and family. She will also be remembered as a great cook, sharing many recipes, and as one of the best Polish Lefse makers on the Hi-Line.

Toby was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Vern; sons, Dennis and Joseph; sisters, Joan Leeds and Sister Mary Ann Skindell, Order of St. Francis; and stepfather, Harry Bukachuk.

She is survived by her daughter, Kathy (Gary) Enneberg of Cutbank; son, Steve Helmbrecht of Havre; grandchildren, Mark and Melissa Enneberg of Cutbank, Jason (Pamala) Enneberg of Dodson, Keegan Helmbrecht of Bellingham, Washington, Jade Helmbrecht of Brooklyn, New York, and Anders Helmbrecht of Richfield, Ohio; and great-grandchildren, Rebecca Enneberg of Cutbank, and Ole, Emma, and Solveig Enneberg of Dodson.