Lois Helm

Lois Helm, age 97, of Milbank, SD, passed away on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at St. William’s Care Center in Milbank.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, November 21, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at Living Word Lutheran Church in Milbank. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. Pastor Melanie Reiners will officiate, and interment will be at Milbank City Cemetery.

The service will be livestreamed and recorded and will be viewable at the bottom of this page.

Lois Margret (Dorale) Helm was born on March 22, 1928, in Crawford County, IA, to Fred and Esther (Mueller) Dorale. She was baptized into the Lutheran Faith that same year. Lois was confirmed at St. Paul Lutheran Church in 1944. She attended elementary school in Iowa before moving to South Dakota, where she graduated from Milbank High School with the Class of 1946.

On February 14, 1949, Lois was united in marriage to Gordon “Jack” Helm. Together they were blessed with four children: Brad, Brenda, Cyndi, and Kyle.

Lois was a faithful member of Living Word Lutheran Church in Milbank, where she found great joy and community in her faith. She worked as an activity assistant at Whetstone Valley Nursing Home for 11 years. After retirement, Lois and her husband enjoyed 13 wonderful years together. She loved bowling, reading, playing cards, and was an avid sports fan.

She is survived by her children: Brad Helm of Brandon, SD; Cyndi Shaeffer of Saline, MI; and Kyle (Lori) Helm of Cleveland, ND; several grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; and many great-great-grandchildren; along with many, many nieces and nephews.

Lois was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Jack; her daughter, Brenda Helm; grandson, Matthew Helm, and her parents: Fred and Esther Dorale, brother, Milfred Dorale; and sister, Carol Sethney.

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