Shirley Mae Helton Obituary (1929

LINCOLN - Shirley Mae Helton, 90, of Lincoln, answered the call of her Heavenly Father to be with him as she passed away on October 5, 2019 at St. Clara's Manor in Lincoln. Shirley was born on February 1, 1929 in rural Kenney, IL, the second child to Raymond A. and Lelah (Stoll) Lakin. She graduated from Beason Community High School in 1947 as salutatorian of her class. It was during high school that she met her classmate Ralph Helton, which culminated in their marriage on August 27, 1950. After graduating from nursing school in 1950, she worked for many hospitals which include Macomb, Normal, Springfield, Dwight and Lincoln. She was helpful to the Deaconess Hospital staff in helping with the transition into Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital. Surviving Shirley are her husband Ralph of Lincoln, her children Allen L. (Jill) Helton of Metamora, IL, and Lorri L. (Jim) Tipsord of Gridley, IL; her brother, Kenneth (Darline) Lakin of Arizona, sister, Linda (William) Martinie of Florida, four grandchildren, Misty (Brian) Goodman, Lacy (Jake) Wall, Ali Helton and Adam (Samantha) Nagrocki. Also surviving are her four great grandchildren Anders, Hagan, Collin and Grace. Shirley was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lincoln. Besides nursing, she worked with the Red Cross on blood drives and helped create the Central Illinois Community Blood Bank in Lincoln. Services for Shirley will be 11:00 A.M. Wednesday October 9, 2019 at Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home with Rev. Steven Goodwin officiating. Visitation will be from 9:00-11:00 prior to services also at the funeral home. Burial will be at Zion Cemetery, Lincoln. Memorials may be made to the American Alzheimer's Association.