Emma Helen Conner

Emma Helen was born on February 11,1920 in Mobeetie, Texas and was the youngest of nine children born to Henry and Martha Katherine Dyson. When she was in junior high school, she decided to go by her middle name Helen, because in Texas, they pronounced her name “Emmer” and she thought Helen was prettier.

Helen met LeRoy Conner in 1939 while she was working at the soda fountain in Borger, Texas and they married when she was 19. Together, they raised 2 sons, which she cites as her greatest accomplishment. They settled in Denver, Colorado.

During the 1970’s, while living in Denver, she was very involved with Daughters of the Nile, an international fraternal organization of women who were very supportive of the Shriners Hospital for Children. In 1978, she became their Queen, and in this position, facilitated a volunteer project that sewed cloth diapers for older children living at the hospital as part of the Daughters of the Nile’s 50th Year Celebration.

Helen was an avid fan of the Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies, was an active member of Lakewood United Methodist Church, enjoyed gardening, camping, fishing, canning and belonged to a bowling league and played into her early 90s. She spent many years as an Avon lady and her favorite vacation was to the Holy Land. When asked at her 100th birthday party her advice on living this old, she said, “Keep on walking!” She could be found most days walking around Solstice at Mesa View and was even leading the morning exercise class a few times when the teacher was out.

Helen is preceded in death by her husband, LeRoy.

She is survived by sons, Russell, of Palisade; David (Linda), of Sequim, WA; grandchildren, Timothy (Tiffany) of Marysville, WA; Pamela (Eric) of Grand Junction, Shawn (Amy) of Montrose; and Laurel (Ron) of Robinson,IL. She has 4 great-grandchildren and is also survived by niece Helen (Paul) of Hattiesburg, MS; and nephews Mike (Wendy) of Sonoma, CA, and William “Bill” (Sue) of Santa Rosa, CA.

Cremation has been performed by Callahan-Edfast Mortuary and a graveside service will be held for Helen on December 28, 2021 at 3 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Grand Junction. She will be interred with her husband.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children at www.lovetotherescue.org.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.callahan-edfast.com for the Conner family.