Ella Marie Helm

Ella Marie Helm, 76, died January 25, 2014, at Sanford Health. Funeral Services will be held Wednesday at 11 AM, January 29, at Faith Lutheran Church, Bismarck, with Rev. Wes Aardahl officiating. Burial will be at Mercer City Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday, January 28, from 5:00 – 9:00 PM at Parkway Funeral Service, 2230 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a time of sharing will begin at 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue Wednesday one hour prior to the service at the church. Ella Marie was born on November 26, 1937, the oldest of the six children of Albert and Regina Bossert Schell. She was raised on the family farmstead south of Mercer and graduated from Mercer High School. The summer following graduation, she moved to Minneapolis to work. She married Arnold Helm on October 14, 1956 in McClusky. They farmed near Pickardville, ND before moving to Bismarck in 1959. From this union came three children: Terrance, Lynn, and Marla. Arnold died in 1977. Ella Marie worked at Saks News in Bismarck for 36 years. It was a job she truly enjoyed, in part because it produced lifelong friendships and gave her instant access to countless books and magazines! Ella Marie had a big heart. She loved life and cherished spending time with family and friends. She had a great sense of humor and was always optimistic. Her positive attitude, resiliency, and faith in the Lord helped keep her going, even in the face of multiple health problems. She and her companion of 35 years, Harold Gesellchen, formed many deep friendships in the 20 plus years they owned their Brush Lake cabin. In recent years, they played host to family and friends every Thursday at their home. Ella Marie was an avid reader and later in life, enjoyed playing games on her laptop computer. Ella Marie is survived by her companion, Harold Gesellchen, Pahrump, NV; her children, Terrance Susan Helm, Lynn Michael Lindblom and Marla Brian Jenkins Stockert, all of Bismarck; her "honorary daughter", Tammy Gesellchen Dockter, Pahrump, NV; her grandchildren, Jeremiah Helm, Marathon FL, Jesse Carmen Helm, Lincoln, ND, Daniel Jenny Kempthorne Heitzman, Lisa Heitzman and Sarah Zane Osse Stockert, all of Bismarck; her great-grandchildren, Mia Helm and Myles Osse; her step-grandchildren, Faith Wall, Wheat Ridge, CO, Stephanie Mike Little, Bismarck, and Alex Breland and Pierce and Brooke Helm, all of Lincoln, ND; brother, Calvin Barb Schell, Bismarck; and sisters, Sally Hanson, Bismarck, Ruby Don Weible and Bonnie Bruce Hedstrom, both of Wilton. Ella Marie will be greeted at Heaven's door by those who preceded her in death, her husband, Arnold Helm; her parents, Albert and Regina Schell; her youngest brother, Bob Schell; and a grandson Erik Stockert.

Ella Marie Helm

November 26, 1937 - January 25, 2014