Rowene Mary Crabill Helmke

Rowene Mary Helmke, 87, of Angola, Indiana, and formerly of Fort Wayne, passed away on Thursday, December 24, 2015, at her daughter’s home in Oriental, N.C.

She was born on December 13, 1928 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She graduated from North Side High School, and attended the Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing. She married her high school sweetheart, Walter P. Helmke, on July 24, 1948. They had three children, Paul, Mark, and Marsha.

She was active in the Fort Wayne community and served as president of the Junior League and Psi Iota Psi sorority in Fort Wayne. She loved spending time with her family and friends at their home at Lake James, where she spent many hours tending to her garden.

She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Walter P. Helmke; two children, Paul (Deborah) Helmke of Fort Wayne and Bloomington, and Marsha Shirk of Oriental, N.C.; seven grandchildren, Andrea Bruce, Laura (Sean) Helmke-Long, Rebecca Bruce, Addison (Andrew “Ocean” Eiler) Helmke, Kathryn Helmke, Brighton “Buck” (Christina Leslie-Helmke) Helmke, and Claire Helmke; six great-grandchildren, Tobey and Haley Rice, Nina and Nicholas Long, Stone Helmke-Eiler, and Thompson Helmke; and one sister, Barbara (James) Hatcher.

She was preceded in death by her son Mark Helmke; parents Erben and Nina Brighton Crabill; and siblings Arthur Crabill, Nondas Green, Beverly Corpron, Donna Krueger, and Ronald Crabill.

Services will be held January 3, 2016 at Oriental United Methodist Church in Oriental, N.C.

Memorials should be directed to Peace Lutheran Church, 355 E State Road 120, Fremont, IN 46737-9743.