Charlotte "Cricket" Maxine Helm-LaRue

Our beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Charlotte Maxine Helm passed away at the tender age of 98 on September 28, 2021 with her family surrounding her.

Charlotte was born in Grand Junction Colorado on August 11, 1923 to William Patrick McMahan and Lora Edna Pike. Charlotte was known by her nickname “Cricket” as she was quite diminutive but very animated and sprightly. She was one of seven brothers and sisters, all preceding her in death. Eddie, Joanne, Bud, Zane, Donnie, and Dorothy. Cricket had many nieces and nephews. As a child growing up before and during the great depression, Cricket was part of the greatest generation and participated in some pivotal events in the history of Oregon. During the Tillamook burn in the 1950’s, she was on a crew that fed over 300 firefighters during the fire, working alongside her greatest love, husband Donald, after they were married on April 19, 1950.

Cricket enjoyed oil painting, playing her organ, fishing, and cooking for her family. Above all, her pride and joy was to spend time with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Most of her family knew her as “tiny Grandma”.  She had a very active faith in her relationship with Jesus Christ and belonged to The Lord Our Righteousness Church. Her incredibly colorful life after her faith and family was most illustrated by her resilience to adversity, having survived second and third degree burns over 30 percent of her body at age four. She recovered from Typhoid fever at age nine and what was believed to be West Nile disease in her mid 60’s. Cricket was in Hawaii during the Tsunami of 2009 and recovered from injuries sustained from a train accident near Fallon, Nevada in 2012, as well as a broken neck from a car accident in 2017… Only Rasputin could be counted as tougher than our Mom. Besides, she was nicer anyhow…

Cricket is survived by her daughter Jannice and son in law Michael, daughter Barbara and son in law Carl, son Darrin, 17 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren, and hundreds of friends and other loved ones. 

AAsum-Dufour Funeral Home is handling the arrangements (www.aasum-dufour.com).

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