DeLores Helms

Memorial services for DeLores Helms, age 91, of Laurel, Nebraska will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 13, 2024, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Laurel. Reverend Jerry Connealy will be celebrant, with burial in St. Frances Cemetery in Randolph, Nebraska.

Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.

Home for Funerals – Randolph is in charge of arrangements.

DeLores died Sunday, July 7, 2024, at her residence.

DeLores Helms was born on May 18, 1933, in Randolph, NE to George and Eleanore (Lieting) Bierschenk, the oldest of nine kids. DeLores graduated from Randolph High School in May of 1951. She completed “Normal Training” while in high school and then taught country school children for two years following high school.

On February 14, 1952, DeLores married Rodney Leapley. Rodney served in the US Marine Corp from 1952-53, and the couple resided in California during this time. Following his discharge, they moved back to Nebraska and settled on a farm east of Belden. The couple had three children. After a year-long battle with cancer, Rodney died on February 2, 1959. Following Rodney’s death DeLores and her children moved to Belden where they lived until 1961.

On January 4, 1961, she and Donald “Donnie” Helms were married in Belden. They moved their family to a farm north of Laurel for a year, then settled on a farm east of Belden where they lived and worked for many years. The couple had three children. Delores, Donnie, and their family farmed the land, raised livestock, and ran a successful dairy operation until Donnie’s passing on August 30, 1981, following his battle with leukemia. 

Throughout her life DeLores was known to be a hard-working woman. Always a classy lady, sharp dresser, and fun to be around, she was someone you wanted as a partner in any game, but especially a friendly (or heated) game of pitch, canasta, or euchre. She enjoyed traveling and spending time with her many friends over the years. In more recent years, DeLores has resided in her own home in Laurel. She enjoyed seeing friends she’d known for many years and spending time with family. DeLores also enjoyed doing word puzzles, playing games on her iPad, and watching “her programs” on television. 

DeLores was preceded in death by her brothers, Charlie, Robert “Bob”, Donald, Duane, and Eugene “Gene”; husbands, Rodney Leapley and Donald “Donnie” Helms; her sons, Ricky Leapley, Randy Leapley, and David Helms. 

She is survived by her daughters, Karla (Leapley) Cunningham (Todd) and Kelly (Helms) White (Dennis); her son, Donald “Don” Helms (Julie); brothers, Merle (Anita) and Gary; and her sister, Elaine (Bierschenk) Wattier (Tom). She is also survived by nine grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren.

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