Our beloved Mother, Helga Loni Hildegard Axman Sweat, was born February 4, 1927 in Bielefeld, Germany. She was the first daughter of Karl and Bertha Axman, as well as the first granddaughter to both families. She was greatly loved by both of of her grandmothers, Luisa Born Axman and Marianna Haderek Esche. She knew of their love for her. She delighted in her memories of her grandma Axman, whom she called Grandma Took Took ("took" is the German word for "cluck, cluck"), because she raised chickens in her yard. Mother left her beloved Grandma Axman when she was just 2 Ω years old to emigrate to America. She never saw her again in this life, however she was able to renew her acquaintance with Oma Esche in 1938 when Oma emigrated to America.
As a youth, she assisted her parents in managing and caring for a large apartment building. Her first paying job was at Utah Woolen Mills as a seamstress at the age of 16. In her later years, she was an LDS Ward Custodian and groundskeeper. She co-owned Bri-Lee Country Store and worked with Wildwood Interiors, Friendly Neighborhood Company, Countryside Rehab Residential Facility and Mormon Handicraft.
She graduated from West High School. In her adult-after-children years, she attended Kirksville Vocational Tech in Missouri and studied computer science.
She'll always be remembered by her hobbies and skills which include: cooking (from scratch), sewing, handwork, crocheting, knitting, canning (25 old-fashioned-size bushels of peaches in one season was common), gardening (1/2 to several acres), genealogy (including traveling to Germany to obtain great amounts of family records), reading and studying, herbology, massage therapy, and much quiet compassionate service. She taught us all what it truly means to serve and give.
Helga dedicated her life to service. She was a lifelong faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and kept her covenants to the end. Her church service included faithful visiting teaching throughout her life, and serving in several callings in the Relief Society organization including president, counselor, instructor and compassionate service. This principle was instilled in her at a young age by her mother. She also loved her time serving as an ordinance worker in the LDS Manti Temple.
Her greatest joy, primary priority, and highest accomplishment in this life was her family. She reared 11 children, and always had an open door and open arms for every one of her posterity. She is preceded in death by her siblings Gerhard Erwin Axman and Evelyn Vera Axman Muir, her son Brian Sweat, and a granddaughter Shauna Lee Chidester; and survived by her children: Karen (Dion) Laney, Susan (Richard) Chidester, Becky (Darrell) Turpin, Janet (Phil) Hayton, Lorie (Rod) Tucker, David (Debbie) Sweat, Duane Sweat, Merri Bardwell, Donna Sweat, Jason (Stacy) Sweat, 33grandchildren, 81 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great grandchildren, sister Mary Lou Axman Richards and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Helga embodied numerous Christ-like attributes in her life, and the ones we will always remember her for are compassion, caring, faith, love, and devotion. It is our honor to call her Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Great-Great Grandmother, and Aunt. We will treasure her memory until the great day when we will meet again.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 9, 2016 at 11 am at the Copper Hills 17th ward, 5349 W. 9000 S., West Jordan. Visitations will be held on Friday, July 8 from 6-8 pm and on Saturday from 9:30-10:30, both at the ward.
