Glenys Helms, 100. Grew up on a Farm in Saline

Glenys "Polly" H. Helms

May 17, 1924 ~ July 18, 2024 (age 100)

Glenys (Polly) Helen Helms was born May 17, 1924 in Saline, Michigan to Esther Charlotte (Rentschler) and Arthur Henry Heininger. She grew up on a farm on Bemis Road in Saline, and attended Fosdick School - a one room school house located nearby. She then attended Saline High School for grades 9 through 12, and would frequently get a ride into town to the high school on the milk truck when it was making early morning pickup and deliveries. She received her bachelor’s degree from Michigan State Normal College (now Eastern Michigan University) in Ypsilanti. This is where she met her future husband Robert (Bob) Joseph Helms (Plymouth, Indiana) at a dance while he was stationed there during Army Specialized Training (ASTP) during WWII. It was love at first sight, and they were married soon after Bob returned from the war in Europe, on June 17, 1946 in Ann Arbor, MI. She completed her master’s degree at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Bob and Polly settled in South Bend, Indiana where she worked for many years as a librarian for the South Bend School Corporation. This helped fulfill her passion for literature and reading books. They were married for sixty-five years until Bob’s passing in 2011.

Bob and Polly spent a good portion of their retirement years in Naples, Florida, but kept their home in South Bend to be close to family. Polly was a wonderful cook. A skill passed on from her mother. She loved to have family and friends at the house during holidays throughout the year, and it was important to her for everyone to have an enjoyable time together while she was busy in the kitchen. Her children and grandchildren would always find their way to the soft pretzel’s and a wide variety of cookies she would bake for holiday get-togethers. She always found time to play board games with the grandchildren, and somehow made sure they would win. She was a kindhearted and soft-spoken woman, but also insightful and witty.

She is survived by her children Sue (Steve) Noonan of South Bend, Sally Helms (PJ Lavelle) of Carmel and Scott (Nancy) Helms of South Bend; grandchildren, Alexa (Robert) Calabro of San Rafael, CA, Christopher Noonan (Christina Witczak) of Chicago, IL, Ashley (Andrew) Nemeth of South Bend, Andy (Emily) Helms of South Bend; eight great-grandchildren. A brother Kenneth Arthur Heininger of Ann Arbor and Charlevoix, Michigan passed away in 2019.

Memorial visitation for Polly will be held from 11am-12pm on Saturday July 27, 2024 at St. Paul’s Life Plan Community, 3602 S. Ironwood Dr. South Bend, IN 46614. A memorial service will begin at 12 pm. Polly will be interred at Southlawn Cemetery, South Bend.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Harmony Cares Hospice 5838 Brick Road #101 South Bend, IN 46628.

Online condolences to the family may be sent via the Palmer Funeral homes website at www.palmerfuneralhomes.com

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.

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