Helen Mae Sturm, daughter of Walter Earl and Edith Kate (Strait) Oakes, was born on March 28, 1932 in Atchison County, Missouri. Helen entered into rest on Wednesday, July 2, 2014 at The Ambassador Care Center in Sidney, Iowa at the age of 82 years, 3 months, 3 days.

Born on the family farm, in northwest Missouri, Helen attended grade school at the Cross country school. She then attended Hamburg High School in Hamburg, Iowa, graduating with the Class of 1950. Following high school, Helen attended Peru State Teachers College in Peru, Nebraska.

On January 16, 1952 Helen was united in marriage to Ernest Richard Sturm in Falls City, Nebraska. To this union three children were born, Pamela, Rebecca and Stephen. Following their marriage they resided in Shenandoah and later in Omaha and Bancroft, Nebraska.

Helen worked her way through high school due to having to pay room and board and out-of-state tuition. Over the years, she worked for Bell Telephone Communications as a telephone operator, at Tidy House and Extra Touch as their secretary. She was also a part owner with her husband of Iowa Credit Corporation. Helen then worked at Grape Community Hospital as the insurance and billing clerk before becoming receptionist for Dr. Jerry Schaaf. She last worked for Earl May's and Henry Field's nurseries before retiring in 1985.

Preceding Helen in death were her parents; husband, Ernest Richard Sturm; brother, Claude Oakes; sister, Betty Spiegel; sister-in-law, Mercedes Oakes; brother-in-law, Raymond Spiegel; and nephew, Kenny Bemburger.

Survivors include her three children, Pamela Athen and her husband Michael of Riverton, IA, Rebecca Sturm of Shenandoah, IA, and Stephen Sturm and his wife Carol of Leawood, KS; seven grandchildren, Hilary Hummel, Jay Parker, Jake Schubert, Jordan Schubert, Jamie Schubert, Megan Sturm and Jeffrey Sturm; seven great grandchildren; other relatives and many friends.

Memorials to St. John's Episcopal Church of Shenandoah, Iowa