Eileen Genevieve Helfer

Eileen G. Helfer, 83, died

(non-COVID-19) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, April 12, 2021, born in Wheeling, West Virginia, but raised in Columbus, Ohio, and graduated Columbus North High School.

Her interests included: collecting Christmas village decorations; boating on Central Ohio’s Buckeye Lake; figure skating on roller skates winning the

1986 South Florida Regional Sunshine Games duo dance title; designing dazzling skating costumes; insatiable reading of newspapers and romance novels; travel and word puzzles. She lived her Catholic faith through boundless kindness shared with all.

She worked on the Administrative staff at Ohio State University (1955-1975) as a secretary for Dean of Women, Christina Conaway (a role model and path breaker to the female students) and secretary for the Dean of Students, Ruth Weimer Mount, an education innovator. In May 1970, Ohio State closed its campus after the tragic shooting at Kent State University of unarmed students protesting the Vietnam War. Though the University closed for two weeks, Eileen continued her work at the Dean’s Office with an assigned security escort upon arrival and departures. In that tumultuous spring 1970, her empathy for the Kent State students and Ohio State’s racial and gender inequity student protests grew and planted the seed for her future civic engagement. Those experiences sharpened her collaboration skills and detail-oriented sensibility…key skills for the life she’d lead after retiring and relocating to Ft. Lauderdale.

Eileen’s “second act” was her call-to-service as a respected Ft. Lauderdale community activist. Her strong intention to serve revolved around relationships, the importance of which Eileen felt could not be overstated. And Eileen was limitless in building on relationships to advance civic efforts to improve the lives of Ft. Lauderdale families. In May 2020, Ft. Lauderdale former Mayor Jack Seiler thanked Eileen for her 27 years of civic engagement and exemplary Harbor Haven Condo Board service in a Congratulatory Letter thanking her: “your selfless service truly impressed and motivated me…while pursued with courage, conviction, and concern for the citizens of our great city.” Eileen, he wrote, was a “force of nature.”

In 1997, Eileen and co-founder Alyson Child of Portofino Condo, formed the Central Beach Alliance neighborhood board in response to the nuisance generated by the opening of Beach Place. Together they garnered support from City officials to pass an ordinance protecting the adjacent residential properties.

In the late 1990s, after appointment to Ft. Lauderdale’s Beach Redevelopment Advisory Board, she was instrumental in helping shape the City’s transformation of the Central Beach Area from Spring Break college kids mecca, to family-orientated destination. Next the Mayor appointed her to the City of Ft. Lauderdale’s Citizens Police Review Board. Her service on that board brought fairness, balance, and objectivity to each Review Board case. She was a natural advocate and vigorous watchdog for police accountability and equitable policing across all neighborhoods.

While a Parish Council member at St Pius X Catholic Church, she led Christmas lights riverfront cruises, homeless hosting initiatives, knitted blankets for disabled veterans, organized BBQ fundraisers and themed gatherings to develop parishioner connections. Her insightful perspective was sought by Parish staff. Survived by sisters Patricia Helfer Poppe (Jack) of Columbus, Ohio, and Kathleen Helfer Kesterson (Richard) of Newark, Ohio, nieces, and nephews, Eileen will be missed dearly.

She is predeceased by parents, Elmer Daniel, and Genevieve Marie (Hicks) Helfer of Columbus, Ohio; brothers Daniel (with whom she shared enthusiasm for boating and South Florida) and Fred Helfer; sister Rosemary Helfer Gordon; and cherished best friend and travel companion Roy E. Brinkman, whose Sept 5, 2017 passing in Ft. Lauderdale, she felt deeply. Memorial donations: Catholic Charities USA https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org

Memorial pending in Ohio with interment at Saint Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in Columbus.