Janet Ruth Helbig

Janet Ruth Helbig was born in Zanesville, Ohio, on July 2, 1937 to Herbert Helbig and Mary Elizabeth Helbig (Roach). After a tragic car accident killed her mother when she was 2 months old, her father moved in with his mother, Nora Ellen Helbig, and his sister. His sister, Dorothy Naomi Helbig, called Dorty by Janet, became Janet’s mother in all ways but one. Janet was a well loved child, raised by her father’s family, but still very much a part of her deceased mother’s family, where she had many aunts and uncles, as well as cousin Nancy, who was very close in age.

She was part of the first graduating class of Zanesville High School and then went on to earn a degree in music at Capital University. A highlight of college was singing in the Chapel Choir, which she absolutely loved and spoke of all her life. One of her favorite times was when she had an opportunity to direct the choir.

After completing college, Janet married Edward Lyons. Eventually they moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where Janet embarked on her career as an elementary music education teacher. Dorty moved there also so she could be near Janet as they had a very close and loving relationship. In 1964 Ed and Janet’s first daughter, Cynthia Lynn Lyons, was born. In 1968 their second daughter, Carol Ann Lyons McAlpine, was born. Then in April 1970 they moved from Cincinnati to Jacksonville, Florida.

Janet was involved in many activities: bowling, golf, and bridge to name a few. She also spent a lot of time with her daughters. Music continued to be a big part of her life, as it had been since she was very young. She and Dorty played duets, laughing all along when mistakes were made and promising to practice in the future (they never did). Dorty played while Janet sang. Janet also played the piano. Singing Christmas carols around the piano on Christmas Eve was a tradition. Janet took Cindy and Carol to the symphony, musicals, and the Nutcracker ballet.

Along the way, Janet and Ed divorced. Cindy & Carol grew up and moved out. Janet became best friends with a woman named Brenda. Although Brenda was 20 years younger than Janet, they had so much in common and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company. They camped, fished, canoed, and did so many other things. Janet said Brenda was the sister she never had. Unfortunately, Brenda left this world much too early.

In 1994, a daughter was born to Carol, named Cameron Skylar. Cameron was “the apple of my eye,” as Janet frequently said to Cameron. Janet spent many wonderful hours and days with Cameron and Cameron made her very happy. Cindy moved to Alaska and Janet visited her often and had many adventures. They became very close and remained so until her death.

Carol: When I think of my mom, I think of the many times she showed up—no matter what. She was always there when I needed her. She made me feel important. She valued our time together.

We spent so many hours sitting on the porch… drinking coffee and, in the early days, smoking cigarettes. Later, we both quit—though she missed it dearly. She used to say that after a long, productive day working in the yard, all she wanted was to sit outside, look at everything she had
accomplished, and have a cigarette. She loved to “putter.” After she retired at 59, she had nearly 30 years of doing just that—staying active, tending to her home, and finding joy in the little things.

She adored dogs. Her dog Sammy was such a big part of her life. I always brought my dogs over, and she would give them not just one treat, but as many as I would let her. They would get excited the moment I said “Grandma’s house”—they just knew they were going to see her.

Some of my favorite memories are the simplest ones—laying on the floor, listening to her and Cindy play the piano. Sometimes they laughed more than they played.

She had her quirks too. She never understood my jeans with holes in them and would always say, “I’ll buy you some new jeans if you need me to.” I used to get irritated hearing it over and over—but now I would give anything to hear her say it again. If you used the bathroom, she would remind you to “leave your quarter on the back of the toilet.” And even toward the end, she still had her sense of humor—trying to charge the wound care nurse for taking a picture of her wound.

That is who my mom is—loving, funny, independent, and full of life.

Janet is survived by her daughters, Cynthia Lynn Lyons and Carol Ann McAlpine (Scott McAlpine), granddaughter, Cameron Skylar Lyons, and grandson, Dylan Thomas Faulkner (Shanley Faulkner).

Crevasse’s Simple Cremation is honored to serve the Helbig family.