Joan C. Helm's Obituary
Joan Helm
February, 1924 – December, 2010
Joan Helm passed away peacefully on the evening of December 2nd, 2010. She was 86.
Joan was born in February of 1924, one of two daughters of Mary Welsh and Fredrick Moore.
Tragedy struck the family within a few months of Joan's birth, with the death of her father later that year. Now, as a single-parent household, Joan and her sister grew up in San Gabriel, California, through those challenging years remembered as the Great Depression.
Joan enrolled and graduated from Mark Keppel High School in Alhambra, California, where she met the man who would eventually become her husband, Vaughn Helm. Shortly after graduation, she and Vaughn enlisted in the military she in the Navy; he in the Army Air Corps to support the war effort.
They were married in Parkland, Maryland on February 24, 1945 and, as many who married during that difficult period, enjoyed a very brief time together before going back to serve their country until the war's end in September of that same year.
Upon leaving military service in December of 1945, the couple settled in the town of Rosemead, California. Their first child, Paul, was born in 1947, followed by John in 1953.
Vaughn went to work in the heavy construction industry and, as a side business, continued the family tradition of working on automobiles. Joan went to work as a Comptroller for the May Company department store in Los Angeles.
In 1964, the family was wearying of life in Southern California. Vaughn had been looking for an opportunity to turn his passion for the automotive trade into a full-time occupation in a more rural setting, and found the opportunity to do both in the small Northern California town of Lakeport.
Vaughn purchased an auto parts store and machine shop, and Joan went to work as the bookkeeper for the operation and the many other tasks inherent in a family business. Through the ensuing years, the enterprise flourished.
The couple eventually sold the auto parts operation in the late 1980's and relocated the machine shop closer to their residence. They continued to actively operate the shop until Vaughn's death in March of 2000.
Upon the death of her husband, Joan affirmed a decision that she and her husband had discussed on many occasions, during their regular visits to Scappoose. They were intrigued by the beautiful, well maintained cemetery just north of town; so much so that they purchased plots there; in a place that would be close to John, Betsy and the aerial activities of those pilots that were regulars at the nearby Scappoose airport. Joan moved Vaughn to his final resting place there and officially became a St. Helens resident, enjoying and embracing her new environment and, all the while, maintaining her connections with her current and newly-extended family of friends.
Joan was preceded in death by her husband, Vaughn and her son Paul. She is survived by her sister, Jane Williams of Eureka, California, her son John Helm and daughter-in-law, Betsy Johnson of Scappoose, Grandchildren Cindy and her husband J Jones of Auburn, California, Linda Helm of Roseville, California, Jeff Helm and his wife Lisa of Cool, California, Rick Helm and his wife Dina of Shelton, Washington, Great Granddaughters Alicia Helm of Seattle and Brianna Helm-Boydston of Roseville, Delina Helm of Shelton, Washington, Great Grandsons Nicolas Helm of Cool, California and Richard Helm Jr. of Shelton, Washington, Niece Maggie Stimson and husband Andy of Eureka, California, Grand Nieces Talitha Hodgson and husband Brian, Valencia Langtry and daughter Tiernan of Eureka and Clea Frazier, her husband Glen and son Valentine of Langley, Virginia.
Graveside services will be held at Columbia Memorial Gardens at 11am on Sunday, December 12th. Given Joan's strong support of senior services, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Community Action Team, 125 North 17th Street, St. Helens, Oregon 97051.
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