Mark H. Helms, 72, passed away in his home on February 12, 2022. He was born in Winchester, IN on December 16, 1949 to Joyce Lee Harshman and Phillip H. Weston. Mark graduated from Winchester Community High School in 1968 (Go Golden Falcons!) and with a Bachelors of Science from Butler University in Indianapolis in 1972 (Go Bulldogs!). Mark was a Past Master Counselor of DeMolay International and member of Indiana Elks Association and Delta Tau Delta Fraternity.
Mark worked in sales and retail management, first in electronic sales with Pioneer Electronics and Advent and then as general manager for Roquil, Inc. for nearly two decades before retiring in 2001. While Mark believed in hard work almost to a fault, Mark’s true lifelong career was fiercely protecting and taking care of his family. Mark married his high school sweetheart, Marva Jo Garner on October 7, 1972, celebrating 49 years of marriage last year. Mark and Marva bought a mid-century modern home in 1974, not far from Butler University, and raised their three daughters there.
Mark cultivated a home full of life for his family. His love of gardening, motorcycles, car racing, bike riding, badminton, euchre, and music made the Helms house the place to be every Memorial Day, listening to the Indy 500 on the radio with a pool party in full effect. The last Indy 500 Mark attended in person was the 102nd running in 2018; he rode his bicycle the six miles to and from the race at age 69.
Mark’s loyalty extended to his entire family and friends and he could always be counted on to offer help and a hand when needed. Mark was famous for his calendars detailing important dates and special occasions and he would often surprise friends and family with thoughtful yet eccentric gifts, hand-written notes and a scratch-off lottery ticket. Mark was a tinkerer and could coax almost anything into a second or third life with a roll of duct tape, a little bit of creative genius, and a spare part he fished out of his vast garage reserves, all while listening to a couple of tunes on the radio.
Mark was preceded in death by his parents, his grandmother Pauline Reitenour Haynes and his sister Phyllis Quinn. He is survived by his devoted and loving wife, Marva Helms. Mark also leaves behind: his daughters Angie (Johnathon) Buss, Amy (Daniel) George, and Ali Helms; his grandchildren Chloe Buss, Johnathon Buss Jr., Lucy George, Henry George, Eleanor Wilsman, and Cecilia Buss; his sisters and brother Joyce Lee Fudge, Anne Stine and Steve Helms; a leopard print umbrella used as Mark’s cane for too many years to count and the meanest cat on planet earth, Miss Kitty.
There will be a visitation on Friday, February 25 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Feeney-Hornak, 2126 E. 71st Street, Indianapolis, IN 46220 and a visitation on Saturday, February 26 from 10 a.m. to noon at Walker Funeral Home, 248 E South Street, Winchester, IN 47394 followed by a burial at Reitenour Cemetery in Ridgeville, IN.
The Family requests in lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Indianapolis Zoo or Mental Health America of Indiana. Please share memories, photographs and online condolences with the family at feeneyhornakkeystone.com or walkerswinchester.com.
