Dolorys Jean Helmers

Dolorys Helmers Service Live Stream Link

Sibley, IA 

     Dolorys Helmers age 94 of Sibley, IA died Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at the Country View Manor in Sibley, IA.

     A private service for family will be 12:00 p.m. Friday, January 1, 2021 at the First Presbyterian Church in Sibley, with Pastor Maggie Gisch officiating. Service will be Live Steamed, and a link will be on the funeral home website at the top of Dolorys’ obituary.

     Burial will be in the Holman Township Cemetery of Sibley, IA.

     A public visitation will be Thursday, December 31^st from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Jurrens Funeral Home of Sibley. Social distancing guidelines will be followed, and family will not be present.    

     Dolorys Jean (Attig) Helmers was born in rural Sibley in 1926 to Jesse and Margaret (Brunson) Attig. She graduated from Sibley High School in 1943 where she had the honor of serving as the first homecoming queen. After high school, Dolorys taught in a one-room country school in Wilson Township. On January 13, 1945, she married George Helmers in Mineral Wells, Texas. As George served in WWII, Dolorys remained in Iowa, where she gave birth to the couple’s first son, Scott. Upon George’s return from the service, the two worked to build a farming and livestock operation while also having two more children, Cynthia and Richard.

     Dolorys was a hardworking and dedicated Christian, wife, mother, homemaker, seamstress and grandmother whose caring spirit and giving nature was felt by all around her. She was known for her amazing dinners—especially those on Sunday--- and hosted her growing family for holidays that became a beloved tradition. A gifted seamstress, she helped her daughter and granddaughters sew, and made countless garments, quilts, and other items and gifts for friends and family. She enjoyed her time in Presbyterian Women, bridge club, P.E.O., and Sewing Club.

     Dolorys and George loved to travel. During their nearly 72 years of marriage they traveled across the United States with their children and as far away as Germany with brother and sister-in-law, Glenn and Helen, where they met distant relatives and saw locations where George had served in the army. They also made numerous trips with their grandchildren to the Black Hills.

     Dolorys’s uplifting spirit made her a friend to many, and she enjoyed many hours of phone calls with these cherished acquaintances, her children and grandchildren, throughout her life and into her latter years.

     Dolorys moved from the farm to Heartwood Heights in 2017 and to Country View Manor in November of 2020, where she died peacefully on December 29.

     Dolorys was preceded in death by; her husband, George Helmers; her parents, Jesse and Margaret Attig; sister Bette Ellerbroek and her husband Jim; brother George and his wife Sharon; infant daughters Margaret Nell and Jean Ann; and great-grandchildren, Maisie Burkhardt and Nolan Anders.

     She is survived by; son Dr. Scott Helmers and wife Shirley of Spirit Lake, IA, and children, Matthew Helmers (Molly), Ames, IA, Elizabeth Burkhardt (Bryan), Johnston, IA, Megan Helmers (Charlie Reese), Des Moines, IA, Trevor Helmers (Kirstin), Plymouth MN, and Jodi Bennett, Spirit Lake, IA.

     By daughter Cindy Kemp and husband Brian, of Sibley, and daughters Courtney Anders (Robyn), Burbank, CA, and Andrea Kemp, Omaha, NE.

     By son Dr. Richard Helmers and wife Samantha of Eau Claire, WI, and children Jessica, Washington, D.C., and Mark, Philadelphia, PA.

     Dolorys is also survived by 11 great-grandchildren.