Rod was born June 5, 1952, at Nashville, Kansas, and lived on a farm one
  and one-half miles west of Zenda. His family moved to Wichita in 1968 where 
  he graduated from Haysville Campus High School.
    Rod met his future wife at Campus High School; Earlene had moved from
  Arkansas City, Kansas, to Haysville. We were married in June 1972. We lived
  in Colorado for 15 years before being transferred to Topeka, Kansas, in
  February 1988, where Rod is the Inspector-in-Charge for the USDA at two
  food processing plants.
    We have two children: Lisa and Ryan. Lisa is a junior in high school and 
  is a member of the pompon team and was on the drill team. Ryan is a freshman
  and keeps busy doing yard work in the neighborhood.
    Rod's parents, Elenor and Dietrick Helmke, live in Wichita. Two sisters 
  now live in California and one lives in Valley Center.
                  
  Source:St. John's Lutheran Church Centennial 1893-1994, Nashville, Kansas, pg. 39
  Submitted by: Rod Helmke