Fred D. Helmke was born at Chase, Kansas, and moved to Pratt County when
  he was about sixteen years old. Blanche Ethel (Dellinger) Helmke, was born
  near Wilson, Kansas. They were married at Chase, Kansas, August 24, 1910.
    The Helmkes took their first car ride the day they were married. They
  moved in a lumber wagon to a farm three and one-half miles north of Pratt,
  Kansas. There Fred farmed, had a threshing crew at one time, had a dairy,
  moved houses and did truck gardening. They had one daughter, Irene, who was
  married before they left Pratt County.
    The Helmkes moved to a farm one and one-half miles west of Zenda, Kansas.
  What a joy to have a large two-story house after living in a five-room
  house! It was just as well that they moved when the did because the
  government came in and bought up the land where they had lived and other
  ground around there and put an air base there during the war.
    They moved to Zenda in May 1937. Fred loved to raise watermelons and had
  a patch every summer until his health failed. He and his wife also had a
  beautiful flower garden every year.
    They retired in a house across the road; Dietrick lived on the home place
  after he returned from the army. A grandson now lives on the home place.
    Their children were Frieda (December 3, 1986)(Paul, December, 1973) Hawley,
  Zenda; Iowna (December 1983) Henry Bridgess, Kingman; Irene (Karl, December
  1983) Englehardt, Preston; Mildred (Wilbert, December 1977) Morisse, Zenda;
  Dietrick (Elenor Westerman) Helmke, Wichita; Elizabeth (Alvin Dicke), 
  Nashville; Raymond (December 1940); Ethel (Harold) Westerman, Nashville;
  Carl (December 1928); Loren (Sybil Ross) Helmke, Kansas City, Kansas.
    They were members of the Lutheran Church, Nashville, and of German and
  English descent. Fred was treasurer of the church for a number of years.
  Blanche belonged to the Ladies Aid. They are buried in the Lutheran Cemetery
  at Natrona, Kansas.
                  
  Source:St. John's Lutheran Church Centennial 1893-1994, Nashville, Kansas, pg. 38 
  Submitted by: Elizabeth (Helmke) Dicke