Helen Jean (Smain) Bluemle

Helen Jean (Smain) Bluemle, Helen Jean went to God on May 5, 2024. Helen Jean was born on Holy Saturday, April 20th, 1935 in Covington, Kentucky to Marce and Helen Smain, loving parents. Except for the first three years of grade school, she attended the Benedictine Academy called Villa Madonna. In 1953 she was awarded the highest honor of the Academy by the student body. It was during these years she adopted as her life’s motto the words of St. Benedict, “pray and work and prefer nothing whatsoever in Christ”. In 1957 she received her BA from Villa Madonna College (now called Thomas More University). She excelled in academics and while a student, planned and executed a series of lecture programs for the general public and was in “Who’s Who in American Colleges” in 1956-57. After graduation she worked as the first social worker for St. John’s orphanage in Fort Mitchell, Ky. In 1958, Helen Jean married her soul mate Paul Bluemle and they were blessed with 5 children who were reared in Pleasant Ridge, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. She was a stay at home mother for years, however, always active in her community as PTA President, Parent Effectiveness Teacher, Co-founder of Open Classroom in the Ferndale School District which caused the return of federal money to the school district. Helen Jean was a Parish CCD, an Adult Education Planner for St. Mary’s Church in Royal Oak, Michigan. She also served on the Advisory Board of Oakland University Continuum Center. In 1978, she received her MA in Human Development from Wayne State University, as well as certification in Gerontology. After this, she became Grants Manager at Area Agency on Aging, Southfield, Michigan. Four years later, she became Coordinator of BASCC, a nonprofit organization serving older adults in five cities in Michigan with headquarters in Birmingham, Michigan. She also taught classes in Gerontology and retirement planning. In 1984, Helen Jean and her husband moved to Alameda, California. She was a Victim Witness Consultant in the District Attorney’s office, Oakland, California, a position from which she retired in 1992. In 1993, she received certification as a Spiritual Director through Mercy Center, Burlingame, California. In 1994, she and her husband moved to Harrison County, Kentucky where they participated in homeschooling 5 of their daughter, Christine’s children until 1999 when both families moved to Northern Kentucky. In 2003, she and Paul settled in Fishers, Indiana. As children we knew Mom to be strong, happy, energetic, who laughed a lot and embraced people with the love of God. She had a deep faith and she was a leader, outspoken and tireless and able to get others to join her in causes which would help the community, church or civic. Mom liked to garden, cherished nature and loved the beautiful. When we were young, Mom taught creative writing. She wrote for us many Christmas stories and in her eighties she wrote canticles thanking God for his care. She and Dad traveled many times to Europe and in 1999 to Israel. When newly married, she and Dad were active members of the Christian Family Movement. Their shared interest were interfaith hospitality, centering prayer, cooking for the poor in various Parishes, visiting art museums, attending operas, cinema, reading, walking and genealogy research. Dad died in 2013. Helen Jean is survived by her 5 children, Joy (Mr. Andrew Frank), Christine (Dr. Todd Ussery), Jude Bluemle, Laura (Mr. Stephen Smith), Peter Bluemle; a sister, Alice Carol Buse; as well as 14 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. A mass of celebration will be held at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Geist, 10350 Glaser Way, Fishers, IN on Tuesday, May 28th at 11 am, 2024 with visitation from 10 am- 11 am. Memorial contributions can be made in her memory to Catholic Relief Services, PO Box 5200, Harlan, IA 51593. Final care and arrangements have been entrusted to Shirley Brothers Fishers-Castleton Chapel.

Tributes

Helen Jean (Smain) Bluemle

April 20, 1935 - May 5, 2024