Obituary
Robert Earl Helm II, passed away at home on Sunday, May 21, 2023 after a lengthy illness. He fought a long battle against Myelodysplasia Syndrome, Osteomyelitis and congestive heart failure.
Bob was born March 26, 1942, in Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton, OH to Robert Earl Helm Sr. and Geraldine F. (Archer) Helm. He attended many grade schools in the Kettering area because of the rapid growth of the city an graduated from Fairmont High School in 1960. He then attended The Ohio State University for two years before returning to work with his father in the family business, Helm’s Market.
In 1967, the two men jointly established Helm Distributing, which included several products, among them Pepperidge Farms cookies and snacks. Bob and his father worked side-by-side supplying the local grocery chains and Mom-and-Pop stores, building the business into 13 routes.
In addition to his strong work ethic, Bob was a sports fan—a religious supporter of the Reds, the Bengals, and the Buckeyes. He was an avid golfer, who was proud of having made five holes-in-one. Bob always wanted to join a country club and paly the game every day. He achieved this dream by joining the Walnut Grove Country Club in Beavercreek, OH, where he remained a member until he moved to Florida in 2016.
The golf club provided the settling of another of Bob’s dreams: It was there that he married his beloved wife, Heidi Osweiler Helm, in 1998. While at the club, Bob met another member, Father Chris Coleman, who guided him through a conversion to Catholicism. Bob and Heidi then renewed their vows at St. Anthony Church in Dayton, OH.
Bob was preceded in death by his mother in 1996, his father in 1999, and a son, Michael Helm in 1998. He s survived by this wife, Heidi, of the home; a brother, David Helm of Raleigh, NC; and a sister, Sandra, of Hawaii. Four children also mourn his loss: Christopher Helm (Carol) of Washington Twp., OH; Dawn Martin (Mark) of Germantown, OH; Nicole Diddle (Wayne) of Tipp City, OH and Angela Mehaffie (Zachary) of Tipp City, OH. He was also blessed with numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at a late date.
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