El Dorado Adventist School





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Remembering Laurie Helms
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Laurie (Rathbun) Helms loved people, and she enjoyed interacting with them at church, in her community, and at the El Dorado Adventist School, where she served as the seventh and eighth grade teacher. Sadly, it is the many people she touched who are now mourning her loss.

Laurie passed away on Friday, June 12, 2009, at the age of 44. Family and friends celebrated her life at a memorial service on Sabbath, June 20 at the Placerville church. She will be remembered for the blessings she brought to many in her community.

“Laurie was a gracious friend and teacher. She was thoughtful and generous with her words and actions. She shared her wisdom and talents freely,” said Nancy Schoonover, third and fourth grade teacher at El Dorado Adventist School. “Laurie looked for the best in people, and she usually found it because she was not content to look on the surface but searched deeply within.”

“Laurie was so helpful and organized that she would anticipate a need and often have the job done before I could even ask!” said Larry Ballew, El Dorado Adventist School principal. 



“Laurie was an enthusiastic teacher who was committed to student learning,” said NCC Education Superintendent Berit von Pohle. “She was always willing to be involved in the extra events like the conference spelling bee, school evaluations and professional growth activities. Laurie will be greatly missed.”



Laurie was also active at church, teaching various Sabbath School classes through the years, from cradle roll to adult. Most recently she team-taught a creative Sabbath School class at the Placerville church. “She loved literature and out-of-the-box authors,” remembered Placerville church Associate Pastor Roy Hager. “Her love and devotion to Jesus, her Savior, was unmistakable as seen in her relationships.”

Although she was a member of the Placerville church, she helped the Camino church run its ministry to the homeless, which lasted for three years. “She was one of the pivotal people who made it happen,” said Craig Klatt, Camino church pastor. “Laurie was one of the volunteers who consistently was always there, really active in friendly interchange with people, making them feel that they had dignity and worth in the open-hearted and honest way that she mixed with them.”



A 1986 graduate of Loma Linda University – La Sierra Campus, Laurie held teaching credentials for elementary school, high school home economics and high school French. (She spent one of her college years studying in France.)



She and her husband Jeff, a physician, were married in 1988. Their son Christopher was born in 1992, and their daughter Laura in 1994. The family lived on Air Force bases in California, North Dakota and Hawaii before moving to Placerville. 



When her son was halfway through his kindergarten school year at El Dorado Adventist School, Laurie started teaching his class, bringing her daughter with her. For more than 10 years, Helms taught various grade levels at the school, from kindergarten to secondary.

“I cannot imagine school next year without her,” said Schoonover. “Her loss will be felt deeply at the school and in the community.”