Mrs Carole Tench Helms

The fourth of seven children, she was born in Charlotte on December 23rd, 1945 to the late Ross C. Tench and Margaret Dilling Tench.

Carole grew up in Charlotte and attended West Mecklenburg High School, Class of 1964. During high school, she met her high school sweetheart Donald W. Helms and the two were married on January 20th, 1964. Carole had job experience working for Universal Pictures and Colombia Pictures, an industry she truly loved, but eventually retired from DB Schenker where she worked as an Import Agent. Carole was a member of the Queen City Model A Club and the Hornet’s Nest Model A Club, a hobby she enjoyed with her husband. She was active in her children’s lives and she enjoyed coaching her daughters' basketball teams when they played on the Westchester Optimist Club teams in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Carole was also a longtime member of Sunset Road Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday school for several years.

Carole was the loving peacemaker among her friends and family, and she enjoyed spending time with them any chance she got. On holidays, she had an open-door policy and always invited her whole family over, including her six siblings and all of their family members. She deeply cherished those opportunities to host and see everyone.

Carole had a big heart; she was beloved by everyone who knew her and she loved everyone just as much in return. Anytime she ran into someone she knew, she’d wrap them up in a hug and greet them sweetly with, “Hey Precious.”

Those left to honor Carole’s memory include her husband of 58 years, Donald W. Helms; her daughters, Tommi Helms Rust (David), Traci Helms Templin (Brad), and Terri Helms Smith (Chris); her treasured grandchildren, Garrett Helms, Zac Rust, Houston Rust, Shane Smith, Tori Templin, Max Rust, and Gunnar Templin; her siblings, Linda Byrd, Barbara Helderman (Wayne), Larry Tench (Sandy), Don Tench (Shirley), Jim Tench (Anne), and Roger Tench (Cathy); as well as numerous other loving family members and friends.

She has been reunited in Heaven with her parents, Ross and Margaret.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from 1:00pm until 2:00pm on Thursday, March 3rd, 2022 at Forest Lawn West Funeral Home, 4601 Freedom Drive in Charlotte. The funeral service will be conducted at 2:00pm in the Paul Helton Chapel of the funeral home, with Pastor Randy Wadford officiating. The committal service will follow in Forest Lawn West Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Carole's name to Sunset Road Baptist Church.