Charles William Helm

Heaven just received one of the last old time true cowboys Charles William Helm, Sr. better known as Bill Helm. He was born June 10, 1929 in Winkelman, Arizona. He rode into the sunset on December 4, 2015 in Camp Verde, Arizona. Bill spent his growing up years in Irving, Childs, Fossil Creek, and on the Verde River. His father was the operator for the Irving Power Plant during those years. Later on, his brother was an operator for the Childs and the TAPCO Power Plant in Clarkdale, Arizona. Bill was educated in a one-room school near the Irving Power Plant. At the age of 13, Bill chose and started his cowboy life on the Randall Brothers Ranch in Bloody Basin, one of the most rugged unforgiving areas in Arizona. He loved this kind of work and continued it off and on during the next 30 years. At the age of 17, Bill joined the Navy. In the 1960s and 1970s, Bill was Sergeant for the Yavapai Sheriff\u0027s Office and Deputy Sheriff for Coconino County Sheriff\u0027s Department. He worked for police departments in Clarkdale, Cottonwood, and Jerome. Bill was also a commissioned officer for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. In order to provide for his family, Bill also drove a logging truck for the Southwest Forest Industries at Happy Jack, Arizona. Bill delivered the 17th load of cement to the Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Arizona, driving truck for Belyea Trucking out of Cottonwood. He also delivered the last load of cement to the dam in 1964, driving for Cement Transporters out of Clarkdale. Bill is proceeded in death by his parents George Henry Helm, and Floy Helm Stewart, his brother George Edward Helm, and sister-in law Dorothy Helm, and his longtime friend and companion his dog Hobo. Bill is survived by his wife of 24 years Billie Jean Helm, his sister Barbara Ellen Mills (Bob) in Kingman, and sisters-in law Linda Heydorn (Willie) of Clinton, Utah, and Debbie Pearson (Ron) of Clarkdale, two sons Charles William Helm, Jr. (Billy) (Toni), Randy Lee Helm (Libby), and two daughters Judith Ann Valentine (Frank), and Marie Renee Helm, six step-children Pamela Marie Owens, Frank Owens (Melody), Ginger Montgomery (Dean), Sandy Owens (Greg Islas), Jonathan Owens (Shelly), Benjamin Owens (Sara), 24 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and several special nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at Westcott Funeral Home in Cottonwood this Friday, December 11th, at 4 p.m. At a future date, his ashes will be spread in Bloody Basin, the wilderness he loved so much. An online guestbook is available to sign at www.westcottfuneralhome.com