Norma Joy Helfrich-Kullmann

HELFRICH-KULLMANN, NORMA “JOY”, (nee Someiski), AGE 88

Fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church, December 20, 2024, wife of the late Dale Helfrich, and the late Charles W. Kullmann, mother of Dawn (Tony) Lammert and Dale (Jenny) Helfrich, Jr., grandmother of Allison (Brendan) Dabbs, Kyle (Angie) Lammert, Sydney and Maddy. Great-grandma of Henry, Elizabeth and Lily Dabbs and Odin and Sophia Lammert. Dear aunt, sister-in-law and friend.

Joy committed her life to education, her family, her art, caring and supporting others, and a life-long journey in Christ. All, while spreading JOY wherever she went…

Norma was a 1953 Graduate of Southwest High School before pursuing her career in education, first earning an Associate of Arts degree from Harris Junior College in 1956, then her Bachelor of Science degree in Education at Southeast Missouri State in 1960. From there, she entered the convent at Visitation Sisters of Charity located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where she spent her formidable teaching years at St Matthias (Youngstown, Ohio), St Sebastians (Pittsburgh, PA), and then St Mary’s (Brownsville, PA).

After three years into her time in the convent, on August 15th, the bishop announced for her name (Norma) in religious life to be “Sister Mary Joy” during a ceremony on the feast day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. However, about four years later, “Joy” realized living in community wasn’t where God needed her and decided to return home to St Louis and left the convent, though keeping the name (Joy), and deciding to focus on serving Christ in other ways.

After returning home, Joy married the love-of-her-life, Dale Helfrich Sr (in November of 1967) and quickly had two children (Dawn & Dale Jr) before losing her husband in 1971 at the age of 28, to a known heart defect he had since birth. Joy had no choice but to press on for her family and felt that “loving him (Dale Sr) left me with no other decision than thinking any time that God gave me with him would be a blessing.”

“Joy” taught at several schools around the St Louis area, mostly in the primary grades of kindergarten-5th grade, including schools like St Joan of Arc (1958), St Margaret of Scotland (1975-1979) where she started the kindergarten program, Holy Redeemer School (1980-1984), Sacred Heart School (1987-1989), while finishing her illustrious teaching career that spanned close to 30 years, at St Anthony of Padua (1990-1996). Joy was an active member of Our Lady of Sorrows parish taking part in the Women’s Guild, the Legion of Mary, and Our Blessed Mother’s Rosary group to name a few. In her lifetime Joy was also in the Red Hat Society, a member of Society of Independent Artists, and a volunteer for St. Mary’s Health Center and the Butterfly House.

Travel was also a big part of Joy’s life in her later years as some of her exploits took her to places like Alaska, the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, and even to Washington DC for the inauguration of President Bill Clinton. Her travels were not restricted to the United States, however, but they even took her abroad to places like Ireland, France, England, and even to witness a mass by Pope John Paul II in Vatican City (Rome), Italy. Joy was also a part of several mission trips to Guatemala where she also ‘fostered’ a local girl that she helped support throughout her life and earn her way to an education, also raising money through her art allowing that family to build a new home. Joy took her mission seriously and led many initiatives to help the people in the community there.

Joy was an avid artist that loved painting, drawing and illustrating the most. She earned many commissions illustrating homes to be remembered forever in ink. Butterflies and landscapes dominated most of her paintings, but she had many creative pieces and even had a couple of them honored by a local artist guild. Her series of ‘bears’ greeting cards were published, but the thrilling highlight of her time as an artist was when a friend she met through volunteering at St. Mary’s offered to host a private showing in her home for many of her well-to-do friends. This event is what allowed Joy to build that home for her adopted family in Guatemala. Joy’s 80th Birthday felt like an art show all its own! A party at the local senior center brought many of her family and friends together to celebrate her and Joy encouraged everyone to take home one (or two) of her paintings as a ‘party favor’. Joy loved to sing and dance, loved poetry and thoroughly enjoyed a writing class she took in her early 80’s.

Joy loved to be involved and busy with all sorts of activities, which led her to become a member at The St. Louis Activity Center. They often sponsored trips for local seniors and that is where she met the last love-of-her-life, “Charlie”. Joy and Charles “Charlie” Kullmann were married in 2016, but that too was short-lived as he passed away from a battle with prostate cancer in August of 2020 at the young age of 99. They enjoyed dancing and dining and loved sharing each other’s company in their latter few years together and it was so special to witness.

For the last few years of her life, Joy battled dementia in the care of Mattis Pointe & The Arbors Senior Living Center in Concord, Missouri. After her final days of rest at Mercy Hospice South (de Greeff Hospice House), Joy’s final selfless act on Earth was donating her body to science under the care of Saint Louis University Medical School. Some of Joy’s last requests along with this was “to not mourn her passing, but instead have a big gathering of interested family and friends to attend a Celebration of Life and are welcome to choose and keep a painting done by me (Joy).”

“I love and thank all of you for being in my life.

Draw close to God and he will take care of you!” --Norma L. Joy Helfrich-Kullmann

*From one of her “Memoirs”:

“Do take every chance you may have to ride in the country to view the sensational fields of trees, flowers, animals, and plants and the four seasons that are your heritage! Your heart will rejoice that you are alive!”

--Norma “JOY” Helfrich