HERKIMER-Lois J. Helmer age 86 passed away peacefully after an extended illness on Thursday evening April 5, 2018 in The Pines at Utica Skilled Nursing Facility. She was born on June 23, 1931 in Herkimer, daughter of Ernest H. and Anna Atkins Helmer. A lifelong Herkimer resident she graduated from Herkimer High School with the class of 1950. For seven years she worked for F.W. Woolworth store in Herkimer and then for two years working as a telephone operator for the New York Telephone Company in Herkimer. She then went to work for The Central New York Abstract Corporation in the old County Clerks office on Mary Street in Herkimer. On May 19, 1992 and at the age of 61 she retired due to a disability after thirty-nine years of dedicated service. In her leisure time Lois played golf, bowled with a high game of 167 and played the guitar. She attended Mohawk Valley Community College and was a graduate of I.C.S. International Correspondent School of Pennsylvania. Most notable was that Lois wrote to 250 men and women serving in Vietnam from 1965 to 1970. She lost count of the written letters after she reached 5000. She also wrote a book on Vietnam. On February 28, 1968 she was awarded the Good Citizenship Award at the Herkimer Veterans of Foreign Wars Post # 1459 Herkimer in appreciation for her good deeds. Lois had a strong relationship with God and led a devoted Christian life. To those who knew her she was caring, loving and hopeful lady and will be truly missed. She leaves behind many friends in Herkimer and friends and staff at The Pines Nursing Home in Utica. She was preceded in death by her parents Ernest H. and Anna Helmer on January 5, 1989 who passed away within hours of each other at different hospitals and her devoted brother Robert E. Helmer