Rose Rika Helms was born August 13, 1911, at the family homestead located 15 miles north of Wall, South Dakota, to Ernest H. and Paulina (Geigle) Helms.

She was baptized on September 10, 1911, and confrimed on April 15, 1928, by Reverend Echert, in the First Adult class of the church, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church located 14 miles north of Quinn, South Dakota.

She grew up north of Wall and attended Huron Township School where she graduated from the eighth grade.  After graduation, she worked for relatives and neighbors in the Wall and Quinn area prior to working at the Miller Hotel in Wall for two years.

Rose was united in marriage to Reinhold Denke on April 7, 1931, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, north of Quinn.  To this union the Lord blessed them with eleven children.  They went to their ranch that evening where they lived their whole married life, through depression, drought, and prosperity, until illness forced her to leave and go to the Philip Health Service in November of 1987.

Rose served on the election board for over twenty years, was a Sunday School teacher for many years at both St. Paul's Lutheran Church north of Quinn and later at First Lutheran Church of Wall, where she was a member since 1958, after St. Paul's Lutheran Church closed.  She was a charter member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church and was a member of the Ladies Aid in both churches.  She also served on the visiting committee of the First Lutheran Church for many years and enjoyed every day of it.

Rose belonged to the Pedro Pals Extension Club until it disbanded and then she became a member of the Peno Extention Club and the Secret Sisters Club.  She had been a 4-H leader for over twenty years in that area.

Grateful for having shared her life are her husband, Reinhold, of Quinn; three daughters, Gailya (Mrs. Philip) Logan of Philip, South Dakota, Cerella (Mrs. Edwin) Overgard of Parvillian, Wyoming, and Loretta (Mrs. Roy) Brendlinger of Freeport, Pennsylvania; five sons, Herman of Deerbrook, Wisconsin, Donald of Parvillian, Wyoming, Marvin of Philip, South Dakota, Leland of Medford, Oklahoma, and Byron of Quinn, South Dakota; 27 grandchildren; 2 step-grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; 6 step-great-grandchildren; one brother, Erving Helms of Creighton, South Dakota; one sister, Pauline Barron of Hemet, California; a very dear friend, Nell Willuweit; and a host of other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by three sons, Richard in infancy in 1934, Westley in 1956, and Linden in 1958; two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; her parents; and one brother, Ernest Helms.

Funeral Services
Thursday, January 7, 1988
1:30 p.m.
First Lutheran Church
Wall, South Dakota

Officiating
Reverend John Werner

Music
Geraldine Knutson - Organist
First Lutheran Church Choir - Vocalists
Congregational Hymns

Ushers
Raymond Knutson - David Fauske

Active Pallbearers
Eugene Helms - Wade Geigle
Robert Helms - Jim Johnson
Dennis Sieler - Gene Willuweit

Honorary Pallbearers
All relatives and friends in attendance

Interment
Wall Cemetery
Wall, South Dakota