Helen Corrine Adams

Helen Corrine Martin Adams, 100, of Lexington, formerly of Curtis, Nebraska passed away on Friday, January 4, 2019 at Lexington Regional Health Center. She was born August 25, 1918 to Raymond and Lula (McBride) Martin. Helen was the third child born after William “Dudley” and Raymond, then followed Iona, Nathan, Melvin and Harry. She attended country grade school, riding horses to school, and occasionally taking the horse drawn buggy. During the year she had to wait for Iona to finish grade school, she kept busy on the farm quilting, helping her mother and other farm chores. Then both she and her sister Iona lived in Benkelman during their attendance and graduation from Benkelman High School. Upon graduation she worked and lived at the Ough gas station and general store. During World War II Helen worked in Denver, Colorado for the war effort at the Remington Arms Factory. Her job was to run machinery which primed and pierced bullets. Each shift was responsible taking their machines apart and cleaning for the next shift. After the war she worked in Wauneta in the telephone office and then in Enders at the general store. Being very independent she went to school in Hastings where she received her cosmetology license from the Hastings Beauty School. Helen traveled as a saleswoman for Rexall Drug Stores presenting demonstrations of women’s cosmetics. Her territory was the west and southwest area of the state and the eastern part of Wyoming. With limited, if any public or bus transportation, she was responsible for finding her own rides from town to town and her own lodging. Many times there was not lodging for single women in hotels, so she often had it arranged to stay with hosting families. She married Allan W. Adams on March 15, 1949 in Imperial, Nebraska. Helen was 32 and Allan was 36. Two children were blessed to this union; Robert Craig was born June 10, 1950 and Barbara Jane was born October 23, 1954. They retired from their business, Adams Drug Store in 1976. She and Allan built their home where she lived from 1950 until January of 2015, for almost 65 years. Helen was active with Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Girls Day Camp, Fall Festival, and other community activities. She was elected and served on the Curtis School Board and Guiding Star Girl Scouts Council as well as a member of Chapter CG, P.E.O.; Chapter Eureka Eastern Star and Happy Homemakers Extension Club. She loved sharing her gardening tidbits and was well known for her pies and cinnamon rolls, decorated cookies, handmade Easter Sugar eggs and beautiful handwork and crafts. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brothers and sister. Survivors include her son, Robert (Deborah) Adams of Vancouver, Washington; daughter, Barbara (Frank) Vondras of Lexington, Nebraska; grandchildren, Dustin Adams of Lake Oswego, Oregon, Brock (Leah) Adams of Vancouver, Washington, Laura (Jeff) Deans of Lincoln, Nebraska and Joseph Vondras and friend Tabby Hinkle  of Omaha, Nebraska; great-grandchildren, Tyler Adams, Elle Adams, Landon Deans and William Deans; sister-in-law, Merrella (Mrs. Harry Martin) and many nieces, nephews, extended family and a host of friends. A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, June 29, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. the United Methodist Church in Curtis. Inurnment will be in the Curtis Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Curtis Fire Department, Frontier County Ambulance Service or the First United Methodist Church in Curtis. Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington is honored to be assisting the family with arrangements. Please share online condolences with the family by visiting: reynoldslovefuneralhome.com