Lillian “Maudine” (Singleton) Helmer September 26, 1927 ~ November 26, 2023 (age 96)

Funeral services for Maudine Helmer, 96, of Portales will be held at 2:00 PM, Sat., Dec. 2, 2023 in the Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with Rev. Keath Baskett officiating.  Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with Ken Carlson, David Flenn, Larry Levacy, San Skinner, Mark Saxton and Mike Levacy serving as pallbearers.

Lillian Maudine Helmer, known to everyone as Maudine, was born Sept. 26, 1927 in the Red Lake Community to the home of Jewell (Bostick) and Joseph Singleton, and died Nov. 26, 2023 in Portales.  Maudine attended school at Bluit until her high school years, when her family moved to Emeryville, CA.  She graduated as the Salutatorian of class in 1945.  Following her graduation, her family returned to Portales, and she went on to attend Eastern New Mexico Junior College for two years.

She met J. W. Helmer in 1947 at the Portales Drug Store.  Following a yearlong courtship, they were married on Feb. 1, 1948.  They made their home on the family farm southeast of Portales for three years.  During that time, they celebrated the births of two daughters.  In 1951, they moved to California, where they made their home for ten years, and during that time they were blessed with another daughter.  They returned to Portales and again began farming on the family homestead.

Following their retirement from farming, Maudine worked at Eastern New Mexico University for several years.  After the death of her husband in 2004, she did volunteer work at the Child Development Center at the university.  She loved working with the children, who called her “Grandma.”

Maudine worked hard all her life.  Before her health began to fail, she enjoyed working outside.  She had always had a big garden that she canned and froze the produce from.  Whatever the family could not use, she loved to give to family, friends and neighbors.  She was always busy.  If she was not working outside, she enjoyed sewing, crocheting, and doing stitch work or reading.  She got great joy from doing the cooking and baking to put on a big spread for company and family.

Maudine’s family always came first.  She dearly loved her grandchildren, and enjoyed playing with them and teaching them.  People were drawn to her warm personality and winning smile.  She loved to laugh and tease.

She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Gary and Nell Helmer of Rich Square, NC; a daughter and son-in-law, Rhonda and David Walker of Portales; three grandchildren, Tina Walker, Tyler (Lela) Walker and Amanda Helmer.  She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Charles Singleton, three sisters, Audie Tidwell, Mildred Archer and LaVon Rhodes, two daughters, Linda Shainwald and Cheryl Helmer, and by her beloved husband, J. W. Helmer, who died Jan. 31, 2004 after more than 55 years of marriage.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lillian “Maudine” (Singleton) Helmer, please visit our floral store.