Helen B. Roth, age 87, took her final breath on Wednesday, July 21, 2021, with son James at her side holding her hand during the final moments.

Helen faced much tragedy and adversity in her life having been born in Korea in 1934 during a brutal foreign occupation. In 1950, at age 16, the North Koreans invaded. By 1952, her future husband Ervin was flying US Army medevac helicopters that you can see in the series MASH. Helen and Ervin met in 1959. At that time, South Korea was still devastated by the war.

Her Korean name was Bang Choon and she chose the American name Helen when coming to the US with husband Ervin in 1962. The next ten years included 18 moves to North Dakota, Colorado, Virginia, Germany, and several places in Virginia again before coming to Missouri. After Ervin's second combat tour in Viet-Nam, Helen and her family came to Warrensburg in 1972 to finally settle in a place that could be called "home".

Helen loved people and she loved Jesus. Through all the sadness and challenges in Helen's life, her Christian faith never wavered, enabling her to prevail through so much difficulty. With joy and love and above all, faith, Helen's spiritual energy touched the lives of so many. Some have known and loved Helen for many years and others fondly remember her from a single brief moment whether it was light conversation with candy and Christmas wreaths on an airplane to her touching prayers for burdened people she just met at a store or in the hospital. Helen was a joyful witness for the Lord.

Helen loved Christian fellowship, gardening, sewing, knitting, crocheting, and picnic dinners in her back yard and spacious garage. She especially loved children and always volunteered for Vacation Bible School or to babysit for friends and neighbors. Helen loved her friends and strangers, always having a gift of candy or special crocheted Christmas wreaths, Easter bunnies, shamrocks, hearts, flowers, and pot holders. Helen loved to alter clothing to fit her and was always beautiful and wonderfully dressed.

Helen was very involved with church activities and faith groups closely knowing and supporting many missionaries and those in need. She contributed to many charities and did much volunteer work at several nursing homes. Helen was beloved by so many.

From around 2001 to 2019, Helen loved to visit James in San Diego over Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving. James usually came home over Memorial Day to honor Ervin and all who gave so much for our country.

Helen's two children are son James Roth in San Diego, California, daughter Joann and husband Eric Kirschenbaum in Warrensburg, granddaughter Dina and husband Matthew Bazzil and great granddaughters Willa Rose and Violet Ann in Alpharetta, Georgia.

The name Helen means Shining Light. The world will be dimmer without Helen but Heaven will have a new brightness.

Her children say, "she was our Mom but she was your Helen."

Visitation will be 1:00 pm at Grover Park Baptist Church on Saturday, August 7, 2021 with service following at 2:00 pm. Helen will be buried at Warrensburg Memorial Gardens alongside her husband, US Army Master Sergeant Ervin A Roth.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Disabled American Veterans, and can be left in the care of Sweeney-Phillips & Holdren Funeral Home.