Helen was born on November 24, 1927, to Hulda and Charles John Reich in Carlton, Texas at their family home as the second youngest of 10 children. Helen was infant baptized and later confirmed at the Aleman Lutheran Church which the family regularly attended despite the 30- mile distance from their home and the difficult means of travel by horseback or wagon. Family Life included daily reading of the Bible by their mother around the dinner table, and Helen carried this daily devotion time throughout her life as well. Raised during the Great Depression years made these times especially hard for a large family living off the land, but hard work, determination, and most of all, their faith provided the means to get them through these and other challenging times.
Helen attended elementary school at Sunshine School, which about 7 miles away, by walking or shared horseback riding. She graduated from Carlton School in 1945 at the age of 17. Thereafter, she worked as a telephone company operator in Odessa, Texas where she met and married Harold Limmer on October 25, 1947 and were together for 57 years of marriage before his passing in 2003. She was a member of Green’s Baptist Church, and she chose adult-baptism at the age of 94.
Over the years Helen worked at the local sewing factory, baking factory, packing seasonal mistletoe, or selling Avon while also helping to run the family farm of livestock, dairy cows, and bird farming. She didn’t shy away from staying busy from early morning hours until dark. She worked hard, but she also played hard when it came to a good game of dominos.
She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Harold, her brothers Gottlieb, Henry, Avil, Charlie, Floyd, and Johnny, and sisters Lillie, Irene, and Leona, and grandson Jerod.
She is survived by her four children: Ervin and wife Rebecca of Dublin, Linda and husband Leonard of Priddy, Florenda Sylvester of Alpharetta, GA, and Cynthia Jones of Granbury. She is also survived by 15 grandchildren and step-grandchildren and their families, 39 great- grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren and their families, and 17 great-great step-grandchildren well as numerous nieces and nephews and long-time friends.
A memorial service will be held on December 14, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at Green’s Creek Baptist Church in rural Dublin, Texas. All friends and relatives are invited to join the family in this Celebration of Life Service.
