Helen M. Lipska, age 84, of North Platte, Nebraska, passed away Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at the North Platte Care Center.

Helen was born on May 16, 1942, to Marion Dutch and Elsie (Shindle) Shaw in Oshkosh, Nebraska. She grew up in the Oshkosh and Broadwater area before starting work as a server at local cafes. During this time, Helen achieved her GED from Sidney, Nebraska. At this time, Helen began her career as a CNA in local nursing home, where she dedicated her life with passion and love to each resident she encountered. She met and married her first husband Chuck Tallmage. To this union was born her beloved children Scott, Monte, and Linda. Later in life, Helen remarried to Leslie Lipska and she moved to Potter, Nebraska. There Helen continued her work as a CNA while also volunteering as a foster grandparent. Eventually, Helen was moved to North Platte Care Center due to health reasons. She lived there for ten years, building relationships with other residents and the staff.

Helen will be remembered as a spitfire with a never-give-up attitude. If she was told she couldn’t do something, she would put the whole of her being into proving that she could. She held nothing back and lived life on her terms till the very end. She was a caring soul, known by all (even her nursing home staff) as grandma. She loved to crochet, while her health allowed it. She spent lots of time in nature, gardening, cooking and baking, placing her gnomes just right, and watching the birds and squirrels. She loved playing Skip-Bo and was a notorious cheater in marbles. But most of all, Helen loved her family. She loved to go to events for all her children, grandchildren, and foster grandchildren and was never happier than when she was with them.

Those left to cherish Helen’s memory are her children Scott (Crystal) Tallmage of North Platte, Monte (Pam) Tallmage of Mitchell, NE, and Linda (Doug) Woodward of North Platte; grandchildren Scott Tallmage (Kierra “Speedy”), Brandi Tallmage (DL), and Brittney Woodward; adopted grandchildren Tiffany Beyer, Cortney and Austin Lewis; sister Dorothy “Dotty” (Bennie) Bennett of Sidney, NE; 3 step children Lloyd, Lois, and LeRoy; and many more family and friends.

She is preceded in death by her husband Leslie; parents Marion and Elsie; and siblings Earl Shaw, Bill Shaw, Danny Shaw, Ila Jean Taylor, Mary Griffin, Donna Bennett, and Rene Timmerman.

Funeral services will be held Monday, June 29, 2026, at 11 a.m. at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home. Burial will follow at North Platte Cemetery. Visitation will be held Sunday, June 28, 2026, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home, which has been entrusted with arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Callahan Cancer Center. Online condolences and expressions of sympathy may be shared at adamsswanson.com.

The family would like to thank all of the staff at North Platte Care Center for the care and love they showed Helen in her final years of life.