Adventurer, traveler, force of nature, and devoted friend, Minna did it all and she did it with passion. Whether it was having champagne brunch with the girls in their finest gems and dresses, or spending an afternoon with her sons at the shooting range, Minna went, as they say, all in.
She was born to the late Mercer Helms and Minna (Laney) Helms on September 4, 1938. She was the proud mother of Charles B. Earnest (deceased); Bryan Earnest and his wife Miranda. Loving grandmother of Luke, Jake, Caitlin and Sebastian, Minna was preceded in death by her husband Commander Charles M. Earnest in 1972 during the Vietnam War as well as her son, Charles, in 1999. Both her husband and son gave their lives in service to our country.
Minna exemplified a true, authentic whimsical spirit both in and out of her home. Her amazing garden was beautifully maintained and served as a perfect means for hosting the boys’ friends or her own. As a single mother, Minna raised her sons to be strong and adventurous men in a spirit, true to the organic nature of the Helms and Earnest families. With her boys, she traveled to every continent and engaged in numerous adventures. They went skydiving, scuba diving and hiking; trekking the world together. Their numerous friends stretched across the globe and earned their place in Minna’s life as extended family. She lived life to the fullest.
Minna’s later years were filled with golden friendships, tremendous love, and a streak of mischief that kept everyone on their toes. Residing at the Village Green for twelve years with her beloved Dennis, her friendships and new adventures brought her tremendous joy.
While impossible to summarize and memorialize a lifetime well-lived, we are all the better to have been enriched by it. Minna’s authentic and whimsical spirit will be profoundly missed.
Memorial service will be held at Oaklawn Chapel on Sunday October 16, 2022. Visitation at 2:00pm and service at 3:00pm.
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