Death of Doris Helm

Doris D. Helm, a loving, kind, and faith-filled Christian, passed away peacefully of natural causes on Oct. 29, 2026, in St. Joseph, Michigan, at the age of 99.

She was born on Jan. 12, 1927, in New Paris, Indiana, to the late Perl and Gladys (Keck) Covert. Doris was the 4th of 5 children and was always close to her siblings. Her parents instilled the values of faith in God, hard work, devotion, and family that would guide her throughout her long and meaningful life.

On April 25, 1954, she married Herbert W. Helm in Michigan City, Indiana. This bond remained strong for 52 years. Together they created a home centered on love and faith for their four children. Her family was the heart of her world. As a Mom, she delighted in playing with her children and birthdays were always a special time. After the children were all in school, she worked as a librarian for the James White Library at Andrews University for about twenty-five years. Her time in the circulation department brought fulfillment through helping others and forming good friendships with those she worked with.

Doris was a member of Pioneer Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church and cherished her roles as a Cradle Roll leader and later as a greeter. She was an active and generous presence in her community and enjoyed volunteering for Neighbor to Neighbor, Your Story Hour, and Adventist Frontier Missions. She found joy in simple pleasures and treasured the moments that brought people together. She enjoyed playing games with friends, sewing, taking vacations, playing the piano, and had a special taste for anything chocolate. A special family tradition of spending warm Friday evenings at the beach started when the children were young and has continued through this day, including great-grandchildren. Even as her health declined, her family would bring her to the pier at Lake Michigan, where she would delight in waving at the boats coming through the harbor.

Read Helm's full obituary here.