Charles Herman Helmle

Charles Herman Helmle, 92, of Aurora, Colorado, formerly of Johnson, Kansas, passed away on December 29, 2015, after a series of health issues. He has been a resident of the Juniper Village and earlier the Cherry Creek Retirement Village in Aurora for the last six years.

Charles was born in Syracuse, Kansas, on March 28, 1923, to Charles Marion Helmle and Wilhelmina (Minnie) May Molz Helmle, the first of their three children. He grew up on the family farm north of Big Bow, Kansas, near the Molz ranch. His formative years took place during the Dust Bowl and Depression years, a time of great difficulty for many people.

Charles attended the one-room District 8 Molz School near the farm and high school in Syracuse and Garden City. Charles entered the University of Kansas in the fall of 1942 after Pearl Harbor and World War II intervened. Enrolling in Naval ROTC and the V-12 program at KU, he trained for the Navy. After a year at KU, he was sent to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station north of Chicago where he trained as a gunnery mate. He served on the SS James Whitcomb Riley and briefly on the USS Hydra (AK-82) in the Atlantic and later on the USS Prairie (AD-15) in the Pacific as a radar tech.

Charles sold Pioneer grain sorghum and corn seed for a few years, but mostly he was a full-time farmer, often working many hours a day to stay ahead of the weather and breakdowns and finish all the work that needed to be done. He was innovative, planting milo thinner than others to get small crops in times of drought, building his own front-mounted cultivator on a G Minneapolis (couldn’t be done), and inventing a child’s car seat in the 1950’s (GM was not interested). He was a manager, tractor mechanic, welder, surveyor, businessman, plumber, electrician, truck driver, and all the other roles a farmer has to play. And he was a father, promising each child a college education for work on the farm. He met those goals even when money was very tight.

When Emma’s Alzheimer’s started, Charles’ role changed again to be a primary caretaker. He excelled at taking care of Emma, protecting her, helping her around the house, and working with her in the garden, which they both loved. They donated excess vegetables regularly to people in Johnson. Later, when they moved to the Cherry Creek Retirement Village in Aurora, Charles continued to care for Emma. He was really liked and respected by the staff at the various facilities where he stayed. His caretakers all enjoyed his bright smile and appreciated Charles’ drive, courtesy, and sense of humor, noting that Charles always said, “Thank you,” every time they did something for him, even the smallest things.

On his return from the Navy, Charles married Emma Mae Crotinger on June 7, 1946. Charles and Emma had five children, nine grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren, scattered all across the country. He is survived by a brother, Carl Helmle, near Big Bow, Kansas, a sister, Jennie Redden, near Gypsum, Kansas; four children: Leland, Vietta, Chris, and Sharon Sorrell. Lee and Catherine live in Milpitas, California; Vietta and Anne Phoenix live in Santa Clara, California; Chris lives in Boston, Massachusetts; Sharon and Nathan Sorrell live in Aurora, Colorado. Sharon and Nathan have worked very hard to make Charles’ last six years in Aurora easier and more enjoyable, and they succeeded.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Emma Helmle, their son, Kevin Helmle, and Kevin’s daughter, Jade Burroughs.

Funeral service will be held at 10:00 AM CST on Saturday, January 16, 2016 at the First United Methodist Church in Johnson, Kansas with Reverend Richard Fitzgerald officiating. Inurnment will follow at the Shockey Cemetery in Grant County, Kansas, with military graveside rites conducted by Dexter D. Harbour American Legion Post #79. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting memorial contributions be given to the Alzheimer’s Association in care of Garnand Funeral Home, PO Box 715, Johnson, Kansas 67855.