Ramona H. Helms 1917-2012

HELMS SPARKS MCDONALD

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 7/16/2012 at 12:05:32

Sioux City Journal
February 27, 2012

Ramona H. Helms, 94, of Onawa passed away Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012, at Elmwood Care Centre in Onawa.

Services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Riverside Baptist Church, rural Tekamah, Neb. Burial will be in Tekamah Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to services. Arrangements are under the direction of Pelan Funeral Services in Tekamah.

Ramona Helen (McDonald) Helms was born on June 7, 1917, to Melvin and Cleo (Sparks) McDonald at her parents' rural home near Tekamah, Neb. She attended Rural School No. 35 and graduated from Riverside High School. She attended Wayne State Teacher's College and graduated from Dana College in Blair, Neb.

She taught in rural Nebraska schools for 16 years and later at Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, for 15 years. She was a former president of Delta Kappa Gama, and Luton Teacher's Association in Sergeant Bluff, and present member of Riverside Baptist Church in rural Tekamah.

Ramona was married to Elmo Helms in 1937. They lived on their farm southwest of Decatur except for two years in Seattle, Wash., and then in Decatur, Neb. They moved to Sergeant Bluff and later to Onawa, when they retired. They spent the summers at their cabin near Walker, Minn., and traveled during the winter. Their daughter, Lynna Dell, was born in 1944, while they still lived on the farm in Decatur.

Survivors are her daughter and husband, Lynna and Bill Reed and grandson, Shawn Reed, all of Oskaloosa, Iowa; sister, Lola Musgrave of Everett, Wash.; sister-in-law, Chong McDonald of Federal Way, Wash.; as well as nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death were her husband, Elmo "Buzz"; parents; stepmother, Opal McDonald; brother and wife, Lloyd and Lavene McDonald; brother-in-law and wife, Alby and Lula Helms; and brother-in-law, Elbert Musgrave.

Memorials may be made to to the family for the Alzheimer's Association, Riverside Baptist Church and Onawa Baptist Temple.

Monona Obituaries maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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