David Helmke

The Reverend Doctor David W. Helmke went home to be with the Lord on Friday, January 14, 2022, prior to his 77th birthday. He was born in Wausau, Wisconsin in 1945 to Wilmer and Elta Helmke and was preceded in death by his parents and his older brother, Thomas. He grew up in Milwaukee where he graduated from Custer High School. Upon graduation, Dave went to work for Ozark Air Lines. He loved working on and being around aircraft. After President Kennedy’s assassination, he enlisted in the Air Force and eventually became a crew chief on F-4C fighter jets during a tour in Vietnam. After his return from Vietnam, Dave was stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, AZ, where he met the love of his life, Lynn Derby. They married in February of 1968, four days after his honorable discharge from the service. Their son, Matthew, arrived in 1970. When arthritis ended Dave’s aircraft mechanic dreams, he attended the University of Arizona, where his love for education began. It was here, prior to graduation, that he accepted Christ and began another life-long journey. Dave attended International Bible College in San Antonio, TX, where he became committed to ministry and missions. After graduation, the family moved to Phoenix. It was here where he became a Board Certified Chaplain and Fellow of the College of Chaplains with the Association of Professional Chaplains and was ordained with the Assemblies of God. He worked as a chaplain, first in nursing homes, and then for more than 20 years in prisons for the Arizona State Department of Corrections. He was eventually a senior chaplain for the Phoenix region. He also pastored several churches, including in New River and Gila Bend, Arizona and Cable, Wisconsin. Dave’s interest in education and learning never waned. He earned a Masters of Theology degree from Fuller Theological Seminary as well as both a Masters of Ministry and a Doctor of Philosophy in Christian Education from Covington Theological Seminary. He taught several classes at Western Bible College in Phoenix. He was always a voracious reader, especially topics like theology and church history, and maintained this interest until the very end, even as his health declined. Dave enjoyed various arts and crafts, ham radio, watching documentaries, and a good, gentle tease. Dave is survived by his forever-loving wife of 53 years, Lynn; his son, Matthew (Sandra); his four grandchildren, Sage, Sedona, Philip, and Evan; sisters-in-law MaryAnn Helmke and Violet Derby; nieces, Caroline Hafling (Deane), Laura Piland (Frankie), Ellen Lukert (Jared); nephew, Eric Helmke, and by Heather Helmke. A family memorial was held at the Wittmann Assembly of God with interment at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona.