Helen L. Miglionico

Helen L. Miglionico, 67, of Sioux City, Iowa, passed away April 11, 2026, at Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, NE, with her daughter and grandkids by her side.

A celebration of life for family will be held at a later date.

Helen Miglionico was born on August 21, 1958, in Philadelphia, PA, to Martin and Louise (Hanson) Miglionico. The family moved to Sioux City when she was a toddler, and she attended Sloan Elementary, East Junior and East High School, graduating in 1976. Helen was the eldest of four children.

Helen worked for various companies over the years in Sioux City, including Aalfs Manufacturing and the family business Pizza Peddler. But Helen’s most prized and important role was mother and Nana.

Her daughter Jennifer was born in 1980, and from that day forward Helen devoted her entire life to her daughter and being an amazing mother. She shared her innate creativity with her daughter, from encouraging her performances in school choirs and drama clubs to spending evenings with her taking ceramics classes and painting items for family members, along with her latch hooks and making scarves to keep her grandkids warm in the winter. Helen was also fond of cooking for anyone that she cared for and will always be remembered for ensuring that you never had an empty belly; the cure all… have a cannoli.

Helen loved her family immensely, moving with them to Havre de Grace, MD, for a few years to help her young grandkids adjust. While there, Helen volunteered at Havre de Grace Elementary School, where she was only known as Nana to all who attended and worked there. She was so proud to be able to watch over her own kids daily while also being there to help the hundreds of other kids, whether it was with homework, getting lunch or just needing a hug. Helen could also be found in Havre de Grace making friends in the community learning about rockfish, duck decoys, getting pizza for her grandkids at the local Italian restaurant or taking her grandkids down to the promenade for the best pulled pork sandwich and Hershey’s ice cream.

Helen enjoyed adventures over the years and would be heard talking about having enjoyed her many bus trips she took with her mom and daughter to the Twin Cities, whether for shopping, to see her beloved Broncos or for a musical. She also loved getting to explore the East Coast beaches and had a fondness for Rehoboth Beach and running on the sand with her kids. She was always up for a trip to Wawa or a Wegmans for good coffee and treats (but would close her eyes on the crazy I-95). But her favorite place of all will be the open prairies and skies of South Dakota and the Black Hills. She longed to take her grandkids on a trip with her there.

Helen returned back to Sioux City to help care for her parents and for a period of time volunteered at Morningside Elementary School. But her Nana duties never ceased, returning to their sides for every school performance, graduation or at minimum a weekly FaceTime to ensure they had ice cream money for the week. Most important to Helen was caring for her family. Family is everything.

Helen is survived by her parents Martin and Louise (Sioux City), her siblings Monica Luther (Sioux City), Marty Miglionico (Sioux City), Jeanmarie and Robert Morse (Sioux City), daughter Jennifer Miglionico (Westerville, OH), grandkids Gabriel Miglionico (Cincinnati, OH), Addison Poulsen (Kent, OH), Karsyn Poulsen (Westerville, OH) and Lauren Poulsen (Westerville, OH).