Obituary: Helen Clymer

Helen Louise Pine Clymer was born July 21, 1941, at the family farm south of Mount Ayr, Iowa to Glenn and Lola Pine.
Helen attended Poe #9, a one room country school, from her kindergarten year through the 8th grade. Starting her freshman year at Mount Ayr High School was quite an adjustment as she was the only person in her class for nine years at Poe #9 to having 68 classmates at Mount Ayr. Helen graduated with the Mount Ayr High School class of 1959.
Just one day after her 16th birthday, Helen met Kenny Clymer at the Mount Ayr Skating Rink. They became high school sweethearts and were united in marriage on March 20, 1960. Kenny was in the U.S. Air Force, so they moved to North Dakota and then to Illinois. After Kenny’s honorable discharge, they settled in Des Moines, Iowa. Helen was a housewife and mother for several years and then was employed by Fox Shoppers, Heritage Cablevision, INET, and Principal Financial Group. Helen and Kenny enjoyed 62 wonderful years together. Helen and Kenny were the parents to three children: Becky, David, and Larry.
After retirement, they enjoyed traveling and went on several nice trips on their own and with the Ringgold County group. A favorite trip was to Alaska. Helen enjoyed making greeting cards, playing games on the computer, card games, and many other games. She also enjoyed taking day bus trips with others at the retirement center.
Helen passed away on January 22, 2026. She was preceded in death by her son David; husband Kenneth; parents Glenn and Lola Pine; and three siblings Donald, Jack and Mary.
Survivors include her two children Becky & Kenny Thrap and Larry & Mary Lou Clymer; five grandchildren Shaun & Erin Thrap, Kyle & Danyelle Thrap, Kelsi & Graham Jensen, Jerad & Kasumi Clymer, Sydney & Daniel Ware; eight great grandchildren Daryl Clymer, Dallas Thrap, Luke Thrap, Addison Thrap, Mckenna Thrap, Olivia Thrap, Will Thrap, and Tessa Thrap; other relatives and friends.
A Celebration of Life will be held 2 p.m. Sunday, March 22, 2026, at Walnut Woods Lodge, 3155 Walnut Woods Drive, West Des Moines, IA. Private burial was in the Tingley Cemetery. Memories may be shared at www.armstrongfh.com.