Dwight Helm Obituary

Dwight Leonard
Helm
August 9, 1933
May 30, 2022

Dwight was born in 1933 to Lorin C. and Orpha (Litchfield) Helm in Hutchinson, Kansas. When Dwight was young the family moved to Colorado Springs, CO where he later met the love of his life, Germaine Martin, sweeping her off to the altar in 1953.
He graduated from Colorado Springs High School, and then served with the Navy Seabees until he was drafted into the Army in 1953. He proudly served at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri until 1955 when he received an honorable discharge with the rank of Specialist Second Class. After his military service, Dwight earned a bachelor's in Business Education and Social Science from Sterling College. During this time, the young couple welcomed their first three children: Michael, Janice, and Richard.
Dwight found his professional calling as an educator, teaching at every level while also coaching baseball, wrestling, and football. Still, somewhere between teaching, coaching, summer jobs, three children, and a new infant (their fourth child, Martin), Dwight found time to earn his master's in School Administration from the University of Denver in 1965.
Recognizing his talent for leadership, Cheyenne Mountain Junior High hired Dwight as Assistant Principal in 1970, only to lose him one year later to Broadmoor Elementary as the new Principal.
In 1974, Roaring Fork School District in Glenwood Springs, CO recruited Dwight to serve as Assistant Superintendent and, soon thereafter, Superintendent where he faithfully led the District until his retirement in 1990. Through strong community relations, Dwight shepherded a long-struggling bond initiative to renovate historic district buildings for learning in the 21st century. Dwight's tenure in education established him as an authority in school finance, budgeting, and educational law. He lent this expertise to the Department of Defense Education Activity to provide oversight of DOD schools in Europe, the Pacific, and Cuba.
Dwight gifted his time and talents to many committees and organizations including the Cheyenne Mountain Education Association, the Colorado State Advisory Council, and the Elementary Taskforce for North Central Association. He was a longtime member of Rotary International in chapters across Colorado and also served as a Deacon at Broadmoor Community Church.
Despite his determined and hardworking nature, Dwight also understood the value of recreation. He maintained his many lifelong hobbies into retirement including fishing, hunting, golfing, gardening, traveling, skiing, tennis, boating, and RVing; often enlisting his children and grandchildren along for the adventure well into his retirement years. Dwight and Germaine spent those years in Grand Junction and Cañon City, Colorado before relocating to Florida for health reasons.
Dwight is survived by his loving wife of 68 years Germaine Ruth (Martin) Helm; sons Michael (Shirley Williams); Richard (Katrina Ecklund); and Martin (Wanda); and daughter Janice (Jeffrey) Kidd.
Dwight is also survived by 9 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. Grandchildren: Alan (Krissy), Jarrett, and Alicia Helm; Colin and Carys Helm; Alec and Emily Helm; Melissa Kidd (Kevin Rittner) and Daniel (Erin) Kidd. Great-grandchildren: Ryan and Logan Rittner; Ellie and Riley Kidd.
Dwight was predeceased by parents and siblings Lorin E. Helm, Eldon Helm, Nadine Nicklin, Shirley Kreutzer, and Duane Helm.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 25 at 1:30 EST at National Cremation and Burial Society, 308 College Ave, Ruskin, FL.
In lieu of flowers, Dwight's family is asking for contributions to the American Lung Association or LifePath Hospice of Hillsborough County, FL at