Helen (Kourajian) Passed away peacefully at 97 years of age on July 6, 2025 at her son’s home in Edina. Helen was born in Jamestown, North Dakota on May 15, 1928 to Armenian refugees Vahan and Sarah Kourajian, the second of nine children, graduating from Jamestown High School in 1946. On Christmas Eve of that year she became engaged to her high school sweetheart Robert Peterson upon his return from naval service in World War Two.<br><br>Helen and Robert were married in Jamestown on May 25, 1947. The young couple moved to Minneapolis while Bob studied refrigeration at Dunwoody institute. Helen became an avid water skier when the family would spend weekends camping and boating all around Minnesota’s lakes, finally moving to Lake Minnetonka in 1963 .<br><br>Helen was preceded in death by husband Robert; her parents; brothers Casper, Charles and John; her sisters Mary and Virginia; and is survived by her two brothers Thomas (Bonnie)and Arthur Kourajian: a sister Dorothy (Dave) Pokorny: and her three sons Michael (Georgina), David (Linda) and Daniel (Nan); seven grandchildren Angela (Areyan) Hashemi-Rad, Ann, Jannette, Elizabeth Skilbeck, Benjamin (Rachel), Tessa (Adam) Feichtinger and Nicholas (Carrie); and five great-grandchildren Nadiya Hashemi-Rad, Charlotte and Thomas Skilbeck, and Chase and Chloe Peterson.<br><br>A Celebration of Helen’s life for friends and family will be held Friday, July 11, 11:30 - 2:30, at Hazelwood Tonka Bay. Private interment at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, on July 22nd. Helen was proud of Robert’s Naval Service, and the family prefers, in lieu of flowers, any memorials to your local Veterans Administration.<br><br>Huber Funeral &amp; Cremation Services Excelsior Chapel 952-474-9595 www.huberfunerals.com<div></div><br>