Helen Betty Charnetski

Passed away on February 12, 2026 at the age of 93. Preceded in death by her husband of nearly 73 years, Donald Charnetski, and her beloved daughter, Suzanne Charnetski. Cherished mother of James (Mary Ellen) Charnetski and Judy (Mark) Shea-Blazejovsky. Treasured grandmother of Scott (Andrea) Shea, Amy (Brian) Wrasman, Brian (LeAnn) Shea, Jennifer (Ryan) Gallagher, Katie (Brian) Leech, Kayla Shea, Brandon Shea, and Michael (Danelle) Blazejovsky, and adored great-grandmother of Maxwell, Ethan, Callahan, Jackson, Jenna, Alexandria, Bella, Finnegan, Charlie, Madden, Owen, James, Stella, Ona, Bradley, and Leo. Loved by so many other relatives, friends, and acquaintances.

Helen was also known as Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, and (the legendary) Omi. She was a force—the glue that held our family together, and a leader everyone could count on. Helen was the go-to seamstress, handling everything from hems and patches to doll clothes and full Halloween costumes. She was just as skilled at caring for people—the empathetic presence you wanted when feeling sick, as she always knew how to help.

No task was too difficult, and no request was unreasonable—she was going to make sure you had what you needed (or wanted). Anyone who crossed paths with Helen was welcomed in and treated like family. She loved staying up late playing solitaire, playing war (the card game), taking walks and hiking, traveling, feeding “her animals” in the backyard, goats, being with family—especially all the little ones, tea, Pepsi, nuts, and keeping a full candy dish and fully stocked snacks (“something to nosh on” or maybe “a little schluck”).

You could not leave her home or her sight without her insisting on feeding you—likely a smorgasbord. For every gathering, we all knew it was time to eat as she’d call, “Essen! Fressen!”. She was always a hostess and she insisted on putting others first. She was caring, generous, and very practical—she took incredible care of both people and things, and she did not like to see anything go to waste.

Helen’s legacy and impact have a far reach, as she put relentless effort into maintaining connections, diving into family history, visiting extended family and friends, and always prioritizing her loved ones. She showed us every day what mattered: show up, feed people, keep in touch, and take care of what you have.

Helen was born in Fish Creek, WI, married in 1950, and moved to the Milwaukee area in 1959. She worked part time at a department store, Spartan, while raising her family. In the mid-1960s, she went to school to earn her teaching degree and taught for 25 years in the Cudahy school district before retiring. Retirement did not keep her away for long: she returned to the classroom as a substitute teacher in her 70s and loved contributing in middle and high school settings. Teaching was not just her profession; it was part of who she was. She devoted herself to her loved ones and to doing what she believed was right. To say she will be missed is an understatement.

A visitation will be held on Friday, February 20, 2026 at MAX A. SASS & SONS WESTWOOD CHAPEL, W173S7629 Westwood Dr, Muskego, WI 53150 from 10am until the time of funeral service at 12pm. Entombment at Wisconsin Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the American Stroke Association are appreciated.

Omi, the world will never be the same without you in it. But you’ll live on through all of us.