Dorothy Helscher

Dorothy G. (Rankin) Helscher, 96, of Washington, died Friday, Jan. 15, 2016, in Halcyon House in Washington.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 21, at the United Methodist Church in Washington with the Rev. Ben Blanchard officiating. An open viewing without the family present will be from 1 to 4 p.m., Wednesday at the Beatty Funeral Home in Washington. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service, from 10 to 11 a.m., Thursday at the church. Private family burial will be at the Keota Cemetery. A memorial fund has been established for Halcyon House and the United Methodist Church.

Mrs. Helscher was born May 10, 1919, in Garner, the daughter of Arthur E. and Mabel (Brinton) Rankin. She married John W. ?Bill? Helscher on Jan. 14, 1940, at her home in Hampton.

She graduated from Hampton High School and attended Iowa State University for two years. She taught piano lessons and was the organist at the United Methodist Church for 37 years. In 1984 she graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Liberal Studies. She was a member of the United Methodist Church and the United Methodist women, DAR, P.E.O. Chapter J, T.T.T. Chapter Y, and Fortnightly, and was the Rotary Person of the Year. She enjoyed music of all kinds, playing bridge, traveling, and being with her grandchildren. She and her husband hosted many foreign students and were foster parents.

Surviving are three children, Mary Chmelar and husband Yaro of Washington, Dr. John Helscher and wife Mary Lynn Mathiason of Washington, and Robert Helscher and wife Peggy of Washington; 10 granddaughters; 24 great-grandchildren; one step-great-granddaughter; and one sister, Alice Butler of St. Clair, Michigan.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and her husband, Bill Helscher, on May 4, 2001.