Elmer A. Helm

Elmer A. Helm of Grafton, age 87, died on 12/26/11. Elmer was born and grew up in Milwaukee, WI. He served his country in the U.S. Army Infantry 94th Division and spent the fall and winter of 1944-45 in the fox holes of France, Belgium and finally Germany where he was shot and wounded by an enemy sniper. After WWII he attended watchmaker’s school and worked for Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers. In 1956, he opened Helm Jewelers in Bay Shore Shopping Center and for the rest of his working life derived great pleasures from the creative opportunities of jewelry making, from serving his customers and friends and from growing his business. During his long life, Elmer had passion for ball room dance, carpentry, archery, Christmas celebrations and decorations, fishing, real estate, Native American art, sailing, writing poetry, golf, and watercolor painting. A zest for travel led him to Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico, often to the desert southwest, and more recently to Washington DC in 2010 as a participant in a WWII Veterans Honor Flight. He loved making things. An enduring portrait of him, even in retirement, was engaged at his workbench, tinkering, fixing, making anew. Elmer is survived by sons William and Robert Helm and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents Albert and Anna, his brother Carl and his sister Arvella and two wives Priscilla Kieren and Ida ‘Connie’ Nachreiner. A visitation will be held on 11:30 AM Friday 12/30/11 with a short service to follow at 12:30 at Mueller Funeral Home, 979 N. Green Bay Road, Grafton, WI.