Dateline: Ness City, Kansas

Ellen LaVone Casey Helms, born October 1, 1920 to Patrick and Sarah McGaughey Casey at McCracken, Kansas. Attended Thistle Grove Grade School, McCracken High School, and graduated from St. Rose School of Nursing as a registered Nurse, May 1942. She worked at St Alphonus Hospital in Boise, Idaho for 2 years, Quinter Hospital for 6 months, Hadley Hospital for 1 year and Dr. Baker's Hopital, LaCrosse, Kansas for 2 years. She worked at Lane County Hospital, Dighton, Kansas for 33 years.

On July 21, 1947 she married Martin Helms at St. Mary's Catholic Church in McCraken, Kansas. To this union four children were born: Marquita, Michael, Michelle, and Patrick. Moved to Beeler, Kansas in 1950. Later moved to Dighton, Kansas in 1972. She retired from Lane County Hospital October 1, 1994. Later she moved to Wheatview Apartments at Ness City, Kansas. She attended church at St. Theresa Church, Dighton and Sacred Heart Church, Ness City.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1979, children Marquita in infancy, Patrick in 1994, her parents, sisters Theresa Pfiefer, Lenora Casey, and brothers Joe and Patrick, Casey.

She is survived by her children Father Michael Helms, Michelle Clifton and husband Bill, granddaughters Sheri Bennett and Jarred Nuss and Angela Wilhite and husband Chris, great grandkids, Taylor, Tanner, Quentin, Dalton, Gage, and Cami, a sister Marjorie Elias, two sisters-in-law Fritz Casey and Irene Helms, nieces and nephews.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Monday, November 28, 2011, 11:00 A.M. At the Sacred Heart Church, Ness City with burial at 2:30 P.M. at the Dighton Memorial Cemetery, Dighton. Rosary will be at 6:30 P.M. Followed by the Parish Vigil, 7:00 P.M. At Sacred Heart Church on Sunday, November 27.

LaVone requested no flowers but to give memorials to Sacred Heart School or to St. Theresa's Catholic Church, Dighton, Kansas.