Juanita Lauesen Helms

Juanita Lou (Lauesen) Helms passed away Nov. 7, 2009, in Fairbanks. She lived most of her life in Interior Alaska, where she loved the long summer days, the community and being surrounded by her family and friends.

Juanita was born in Chicago on Aug. 3, 1941. She was the daughter of Ella C. Boudry Lauesen and Elstun Wilbur "Bud" Lauesen. Her father, Bud, came to Alaska with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and was joined by his family in 1951, arriving by steamship at the Port of Whittier and settling in the Government Hill section of Anchorage. Juanita's mother was an enrolled member of the Lac du Flambeau Tribe of Chippewa and her father, Bud, was the son of a Danish father and Cherokee mother.

Juanita was the fifth of six children born to Ella. Four of her siblings ventured to Alaska and remained here: Raymond, Linda, Juanita and Elstun II. Juanita's two eldest sisters, Alice and Mabel, remained in the Lower 48 with their young families.

After about a year in Anchorage, the family moved to Mount McKinley Park, where Juanita's father became the managing partner for the McKinley Park Hotel Corp. They spent two magical years living in the McKinley Hotel, which Juanita remembered with special fondness. In 1954, the family relocated to Fairbanks and North Pole where Juanita's father was assigned as a civil engineer at Eielson Air Force Base.

As a young woman, Juanita demonstrated an aptitude for dance and became a student and then instructor in all kinds of dance including freestyle, jazz and ballroom dance. Juanita's longtime friends remember her love of Hawaiian culture, especially hula dancing, which she performed with the grace of a Native Hawaiian.

In the 1960s, she met her life mate, Orville R. "Sam" Helms, a brash young construction worker who, while he did not dance, nonetheless swept her off her feet. They were married for 47 years "… until death did they part."

Sam and Juanita are parents to four children: Fawn, Selene, Ren and Karisse. Juanita's devotion to her children is reflected in their love and devotion to her. Juanita was a powerful moral force in the life of her family in the same way that her mother, Ella, influenced her. She was consistently committed every day to do "the right thing"; her only shortcoming in life might have been a lack of fuller appreciation of her own gifts and talents.

Juanita was not only a devoted wife and mother; she was a devoted citizen. She volunteered throughout her entire life as a member or leader of countless organizations and committees and was a regular presence in her children's and grandchildren's schools. Juanita was especially passionate about her work with the Sister City organization and led multiple delegations to the emerging Russian Republic. Juanita and Sam became well-loved personalities to many Russian leaders.

Juanita had fond memories of her time as a carhop at Bill's Drive-In and her years as in-court clerk for Judge Rabinowitz during his time in Superior Court. To her family's great surprise, in the late 1970s, Juanita decided to begin a life of politics. In many ways, Juanita was an ideal candidate. She was honest, fair and had an admirable ability to separate issues from personalities. She genuinely respected differences of opinion and input of people from all different backgrounds, and she truly wanted to serve. Juanita's political career spanned a decade and carried her from Borough Assembly to two terms as our borough mayor, inspiring many along the way.

One of the greatest joys of her life was her role as a loving, committed grandmother who faithfully attended events, however small, no matter her state of health: hundreds of books read, projects sewn, rides given, songs sung, diapers changed, hot meals cooked and puzzles solved. As mediator and calm compassionate voice, she was the constant that brought, and held, the family together. It was having her children and grandchildren near that nourished her, especially throughout the years of her illness.

She is survived by her husband, Orville "Sam" Helms; sister, Linda Brechan; and brother, Elstun W. Lauesen; her children, Fawn Jelinek, Selene Forrestall, Ren Helms and Karisse Ackerman; her sons-in-law, Kevin Jelinek, Geoffrey Ackerman and Francis Forrestall; the apples of her eye, her grandchildren Lucas Connor, Heather Norman, Kieran Duffy, Jacob Shilling, Dylan Nixon-Helms, Grant Ackerman, Owen Ackerman and Lilyanne Ella Jelinek.

Her parents; brother, Raymond Lauesen; and two sisters, Alice Wilson and Mabel Wayman preceded her in death.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to a local charity.

A celebration of life will be announced at a later date.