Lion Helma Lein, 108, of Round Lake Senior Living in Arden Hills, Minn., passed on to her heavenly home on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024.

Helma Roe was born March 28, 1916, on a farm south of Leith N.D., to Nels and Hannah Roe, immigrants from Norway. Her mother passed away of the flu epidemic of 1918 when Helma was only 2. She then lived with an uncle and aunt in the Jamestown area for four years before returning to her dad’s farm. She was educated in Grant County country schools before going to Elgin High School, from which she graduated in 1935. She moved to Bismarck where she attended and graduated from Capital Commercial College. She became a secretary at the Bismarck Tribune. In the Trinity Lutheran Church choir, she met Ray Lein and a romance ensued.

Helma moved to Seattle for a year where she worked in a radio advertising company. She returned to Bismarck and married Ray on Oct. 26, 1941, at Trinity Lutheran. From that union came three children – daughters Roene and Connie, and son Rob.

The U.S. entered World War II shortly after their marriage; Ray was drafted into the Army. He was stationed in San Diego; Helma moved there to be near him and to work for the US Navy. Ray went overseas and pregnant Helma moved back to Bismarck. She gave birth to Roene 18 months before Ray returned. After the war, Ray and Helma moved to Ray’s hometown of Wing where they owned Lein’s Mercantile and had two more children: Connie and Rob. Besides raising the family, Helma was involved in many things while in Wing, including school board, being a Sunday school teacher at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 4-H, Cub Scouts and many other things. Ray retired and sold the store in the mid-1970s, and they moved to Bismarck.

Ray passed away on Nov. 3, 1982. Helma remained in Bismarck, but then moved to Dickinson to be near Roene. Helma moved into Hawks Point Assisted Living in Dickinson, and was very active there, including classes at Dickinson State University. The Hawks Point staff noticed Helma had a talent with words and encouraged her to write poetry and stories. She had a book of her poems and stories, “Just the Write Age,” published. She was active in Lions long before she joined the Wing Lions Club, as Ray was a past district governor. She and Ray attended many Lions conventions. She was an inspiration to many people.

Helma moved to Minnesota in early 2024 to be near family.

Helma is survived by daughter Connie Chiri During/friend, Frank Ziegler; son Rob Lein/Carla; grandchildren Kerry Hulsing, Wendy Hulsing/Sanjaya Gupta, Lori Hulsing/T.J. Wildenborg, Jon Chiri, Ben Chiri/Missy, Jana Hart/Kelly, and Jamie Carpenter/Colin; 17 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ray; daughter, Roene and husband, Dennis; two other sons-in-law, Rich Chiri and Kent During; sisters, Mae Well/Harvey, and Inga Illchen/Bob; brothers Ed Roe, Norman Roe/Lorraine, and Nels Julius Roe; Ray’s sisters, Helen Lein, Gladys Harvey/Earl, Shirley Rasmussen-Tracy/Les Rasmussen and Will Tracy; and Ray’s brother, Lindy/Marlys Lein.

In lieu of flowers, please feel free to donate to the Lions Clubs International Foundation at https://www.lionsclubs.org/en/donate

Services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, at Bismarck Funeral Home, Bismarck, N.D. Graveside services are scheduled for that afternoon at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Bismarck.