Helyn J. Coe

Helyn Jene Coe, 103 of Temecula, CA, formerly Toledo, OH passed away on January 10, 2017 in California. She was born on May 22, 1913 in Nashville, TN to August Henry and Liva Elizabeth (Garrigus) Duda and she married Francis Erle Coe on July 26, 1934, and he precedes her in death. Helyn and her husband Erle were a dance team, somewhat in the Fred Astair/Ginger Rogers style as members of the United Service Organization (U.S.O) during WWII. After the war they performed all over North America. Following their dancing career, but still keeping their hand in "show business" Helyn and Erle founded a costume manufacturing and sales business in Toledo known as Distinctive Costumes. Helyn was an active member of Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Toledo. Using her creative talents as a costume designer for her business and her writing skills she created the costumes and the adaptation of The Christmas Story which she named "The Night of His Birth". This was performed every Christmas Season for many years, at Lutheran Church of Our Savior. By the way she also directed the play. Helyn Coe had exactly three hobbies. Church Her Husband Her work. After Erle went to be with The Lord in July, 1992, she lived alone but traveled to California at least once each year, and Alexandria, VA many times. From 1992 to 2008 she stayed busy at home doing some volunteer work at the church but she also loved to travel, visiting places such as Greece, The Holy Land, Italy, Hawaii and her Timeshare in Mazatlan, Mexico every January. March, 2008 Helyn moved to Temecula, CA to live with her nephew Charles and his wife Nancy and along the way, adopt a new hobby sneaking snacks to our, increasingly chubbier dachshund, Sofie. At 10:45 a.m., January 10, 2017 our Dear Aunt Helyn went to "sleep in Heavenly peace". Charles, Nancy and, of course, Sofie were by her side. Helyn is survived by her brother, August H. Duda, Jr.; nieces Bari Jene Duda, Wendy Beth Duda Sheaffer, Janet Ann Coe Berbawy, and nephew Charles A. Coe, II. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brother-in-law Charles A. Coe I and sisters-in-law, Betty Duda and Ann Coe. A memorial service will be held on June 2, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. in Lutheran Church of Savior, 2820 W. Alexis Rd., Toledo, OH. Burial will be held privately. Memorial contributions may be made to World Mission Prayer League through the church. Arrangements were entrusted to Witzler-Shank Funeral Home, Trilby, 3219 Tremainsville Rd, Toledo, OH 43613 (419-473-1301).