Dusty Rose Helmers, 70, of Grimes, Iowa went to be with her Lord and Savior Saturday, September 23, 2023, at Unity Point Health Iowa Methodist Medical Center following her diagnosis of stage IV pancreatic cancer.
Dusty was born in Storm Lake, Iowa on January 27, 1953. She graduated from Storm Lake High School class of 1971. She was a member of the National Honor Society chapter as well as active in both Girl Scouts and Daughters of the American Revolution. Dusty attended Western Iowa Tech Community College earning her Associates of Applied Science in Police Science Technology on May 15, 1975. After graduation, one week before Christmas of 1977, she was hired on as the first woman police officer serving in Cherokee, Iowa. While serving on the force, Dusty met the love of her life, fellow officer Don E. Helmers and they quickly married on April 10, 1978. Shortly after that on May 12, 1978, she completed the fourteenth Advanced Officers Training school graduating from Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.
Dusty and Don moved to Oklahoma in 1986 after Don’s career with the United States Army. Dusty earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Nazarene University May 14, 1989, and taught elementary at Antioch Christian Church Academy in Oklahoma City. This is where they raised their three children Greg, Kristen, and Heidi.
In 2018, after Don’s retirement from the University of Oklahoma, Dusty and Don moved to Grimes, Iowa to be closer to their daughter, Kristen. There Dusty served as a teaching associate at South Prairie Elementary for the Dallas Center Grimes consolidated school district before retiring.
Dusty is survived by her husband Don, of forty-five years, son and daughter in law Greg and Dee Dee Helmers, grandsons Kaiden Helmers, Austin Helmers, and Luke Helmers, daughter and son in law Kristen and Chris McCaslin, granddaughter Madison McCaslin, daughter Heidi Helmers, as well as Dusty and Don’s 2-year-old mini schnauzer Tinkerbell “Tink” Helmers, brother Tom Christian and his wife Sharon, sister Dale Sobolik, and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews. She will be forever missed.
