Born in Scappoose, Oregon, Esther was the daughter of Christian and Christina Dietz, immigrants from Russia.
Esther met Edward Helmuth at the Rainbow Ball Room, and they were married in 1954. Their marriage, which spanned more than 65 years, stood as a lasting testament to commitment and shared life. She also built a respected career, serving as a supervisor for Pac Bell.
Following their marriage, Ed and Esther shared a lifetime of hard work farming their ranches in Kerman. Esther managed all the ranch accounting and kept the family household running smoothly.
Family life was especially important to both Ed and Esther, so when they were not working on the farm, off they went taking their kids fishing in all the local lakes and rivers, or off to the coast with the extended Helmuth family to dig for clams at Pismo Beach or abalone hunting along the central coast. These fun times created wonderful memories that the family still cherishes today. Ed and Esther also enjoyed a very activity social life with their close friends, including their weekly summer get together with what was known as “The Kerman River Group.” This was a large group of friends that met every week during each summer for a barbecue dinner at the San Joaquin River beach of Bob and Marilyn Welch. This group continued to gather for nearly 50 years, which was a weekly event Esther truly enjoyed and looked forward to during the summer months.
Esther was preceded in death by her spouse, Edward Helmuth; her sisters, Emily Boos, Martha Egner, Ida Dietz, and Anna Bayes; her brothers, John Dietz, Albert Dietz and Herb Dietz.
She is survived by her son, Jeffrey Helmuth and his wife Donna; her daughter, Diane Herman and her husband Kevin; her grandchildren, Niki Ruffoni, Lindsey Herman, Erik Herman and his wife Lexie; her great-grandchildren, Gianna Ruffoni, Rocco Ruffoni, Rowan Herman; and her brother, Leonard Dietz and his wife Loraine.
Visitation will he on Sunday, August 2, from 3:00 - 5:00 pm at Stephens and Bean. A Funeral Service will be held at Stephens and Bean Funeral Chapel on Monday, August 3, 2026 at 11:00 am. A reception will follow.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Ronald McDonald House Charities Central Valley, 9161 Randall Way, Madera, CA 93636
