Mark R. Helm

Mark R. Helm born October 1, 1961 to John “Bud” and Cathy (nee Lauer) and born to eternal life on February 21, 2025 after a courageous 16 month battle with pancreatic cancer. Mark‘s life has been nothing short of adventurous. He grew up in Thiensville/Mequon and never left where his life began. He started working for the family‘s grocery store, Helm’s Supermarket when he was 8 years old packing peanuts and drinking the store’s supply of orange crush. He helped his dad in the meat department making brats and other homemade sausages. He graduated from Homestead High School in 1980 and made many lifelong friends. Mark was an avid sportsman and loved the outdoors, fishing, deer hunting, and his favorite was waterfowl hunting. His first job came in 1976 when he started working at Kohl’s food store in Thiensville. In 1981 he started working for Schaefer Tool & Manufacturing, while continuing to work part time nights at Kohl’s . Mark followed in his father‘s footsteps and joined the Thiensville Fire Department in 1983 working his way up to Captain and eventually stepping down in 1998 where he started focusing on becoming a partner at Schaefer Tool, and in 2005 he became a co-owner. Mark‘s hard work ethic, and dedication got him to where he was in life. In 1992 he married his one and only love and soulmate Lisa (nee Brown.) They were so fortunate to go on many wonderful vacations together. Mark and Lisa loved the outdoors, enjoying boating, snowmobiling, and ATV-ing and they purchased a cabin in Lake Tomahawk, where they owned enough property to fulfill their outdoor passions. Mark also took great joy in building his 1964 Chevelle, cooking and smoking something on his grill, cheering for his favorite team the Packers, and we can’t forget what a great dog dad he was to his black lab, Bud.

 Mark is survived by his wife, Lisa of 32 years; his siblings: Kimmer, Sharon (Steve) Knuth, Gary (Vickie), Mary (Chris) Bumpke, and brother-in-law, Mike Brown; nieces and nephews: Andy Knuth, David Zizzo, Jay (Samantha) Fillbach, Aaron (Beth) Knuth, Taylor Helm, Ashley (Kyle) Spoth, Cody (Sara) Schulteis, Brandon (Kendra) Helm; Many great nieces and nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles and many wonderful friends. Mark was a Godfather to Jessica Ullsperger and Cody Schulteis. He is preceded in death by his parents, Bud and Cathy, his Father and Mother-in-law Jay and Jo (nee Divelbiss) Brown, brother-in-law Tim Brown, sister-in-law Vickie Brown and nephew Bryon Helm.

Our entire family would like to thank Dr. M. Kamgar and her entire staff at Froedtert Hospital Cancer center and the wonderful nurses on 8 CFAC especially Becky W. and her team of nurses.

 A memorial service will be held at Mueller Funeral Home & Crematory 979 N. Green Bay Road Grafton, on Saturday, March 1, 2025 – 3:00 PM. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Saturday from 12:00 PM – 2:45 PM. In lieu of flowers, any donations will be put towards a scholarship fund for the trades and a park bench will be placed in Marks memory. Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.muellerfuneralhome.com

 There will also be a Celebration of Life will be held on June 21, 2025 at Rotary Park, Mequon starting at 1:00 PM.