Reed Helm

Reed Helm, 80, of Des Moines, passed away Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, in Des Moines. Funeral Services will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10 at Christian Church in Lenox. Visitation will be held at Ritchie Funeral Home in Lenox on Friday Sept. 9 from 3 to 7 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Interment will be held in North Fairview Cemetery in Lenox.

Memorials may be directed to the Lenox Christian Church. Memories can be shared with the family at www.ritchiefuneralhome.com. Arrangements were entrusted to Ritchie Funeral Home of Lenox, where we ‘Celebrate Life’.

Reed Helm was born on Nov. 13, 1941, in Iowa City and left the bonds of earth on Sept. 2, in Des Moines with his loving wife of 61 years, Joan and his children by his side. Reed fought gallantly for over 20 years with a rare form of cancer with Joan by his side, caring for him until the end. They drove to Des Moines for many years to attend their grandson’s activities and moved there in February to be closer to family and doctors.

Reed was predeceased by his parents, Orin and Hildred Helm and his brothers, Fred and John Helm.

He is survived by his wife Joan, whom he married on Sept. 9, 1961; son Mike (Laurie) Helm of West Des Moines; daughter Brenda (Reggie) Schoen of Johnston; five grandsons whom he loved dearly, Garrett and Connor Helm and Dawson, Dayton and Dalton Schoen; honorary grandson, Jason Smith of Diagonal; sisters Marsha Martin of Hawthorne, Nevada, and Sandra (Lawrence) Wells of Queensbury, New York, and brother James (Sandra) Helm of Lenox. Reed was uncle to many nieces and nephews who loved him dearly. He also left several cousins and one aunt, Mitzi Soma, of Reno, Nevada.

As a child Reed wanted to be a cowboy or a farmer but life chose another path for him. He started his working career at a grocery store in Bedford where he worked to help his mother support herself and his two younger brothers. In his early 20s, Reed worked at Stringtown and Wilson’s Gas Station in Lenox. Although Reed was an accomplished cabinet maker and carpenter, his life’s work was in fiber optics and natural gas where he was an inspector. He worked many years and retired from the utilities division of the State of Iowa.

Reed was a member of the Christian Church in Lenox and worked tirelessly for both Church and congregation.

Reed was an expert builder and all-around handy man. He could be counted on to roll up his sleeves and help anyone. One of Reed’s passions was travel but due to his health he was unable go as often as he would have liked. Both of his sisters cherished the trips he and Joan made to visit them.

Reed was a wonderful son, husband, father, grandfather and brother and will be missed by all who knew and loved him.