Ruth “Boo” Trotter Hellmer passed away on Friday, July 23, 2021, peacefully in her home. She was born to Lee and Dorothy Trotter in Jenny Lind, Arkansas, on October 8, 1932. She was the youngest of six children.
Boo graduated from Hackett High School and married her high school sweetheart, Joe Roger Johnson, shortly thereafter. They had three daughters, and they lived in many cities across the U.S. during their marriage thanks to Joe’s Air Force career.
Boo later returned to Hackett with her three daughters. She began her career at Norge/Whirlpool, and there she met and married John Edward Hellmer. They continued to live in Hackett and had a daughter.
Boo was a versatile and talented woman who excelled in many areas. She was a great historian and loved telling stories of Hackett’s history. She loved to sew, quilt, and paint. She taught painting lessons for years and exhibited and sold her paintings at arts and crafts fairs. She loved to crochet. She and her daughter Linda exhibited at the War Eagle Craft Fair for 20 years selling crocheted Christmas tree ornaments.
She was a lifelong musician and learned to play many instruments. She continued to play music throughout her life and played with different musical groups across the area up to four to five times a week. She took great joy in playing music and in helping others learn about music as well.
Boo was preceded in death by her husband, Ed. She is survived by her four daughters, Barbara (Bob) Saffer, Linda Miller, Margaret (Roger) Decker, and Lora (Ben) Messmer, eight grandchildren, and eleven great grandchildren.
Funeral service will be 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 27 at McConnell Funeral Home Chapel in Greenwood, Arkansas with interment at Mountain View Cemetery in Hackett. Viewing will be Monday, from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home where the family will visit with friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Pallbearers will be Roger Decker, Jason Decker, Andy Miller, Ben Messmer, Everette White, and Robert Miller.
She will be missed and remembered by her family and friends.
To sign an online guestbook, please visit www.mcconnellfh.com.
