Helen (Nimmo) Shelenhamer (Buffalo)'s Obituary
Helen Nimmo Shelenhamer, daughter of the late Hosea Evans and Lillie (Hoover) Evans, was born January 25, 1930, and departed this life on Monday, July 20, 2026 at the age of 96. Helen was born on the family farm in Dallas County, Missouri. She was the 6th of eight children, growing up in a close-knit family where she learned the values of hard work, faith, compassion, and the importance of caring for others. At an early age, Helen accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior and was saved at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church. Her faith remained the cornerstone of her life, providing strength, comfort, and direction through her life. In later years, she faithfully attended First Free Will Baptist Church in Buffalo, Missouri, for as long as her health permitted. Helen attended Macedonia School and Kelly School before continuing her education at Buffalo High School. A gifted student with a love of learning, she graduated in 1946 as the valedictorian of her class. Helen worked in her early years at Sears Roebuck in Kansas City, MO in 1946, following graduation from High School. When she returned to Buffalo, she worked for Claiborn Insurance. She tells the story of Thomas Hart Benton sitting at her desk, painting the picture of the Dallas County Court House. She was a farm wife and homemaker for many years. She worked as a secretary at Buffalo Grade School and later the Dallas County Vo-Tech school before retiring. On April 20, 1950, Helen married John C. Nimmo Jr. To this union, two daughters were born, Karen Condren and Colleen Nyberg. She was an excellent cook and a devoted homemaker. She enjoyed spending time with friends, dining out, and searching for hidden treasures while antiquing at flea n1arkets, creating cherished memories with many friends. Throughout her life, Helen remained close to her brothers and sisters and their families and enjoyed spending time with them every chance she could. Helen is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Karen and Ronnie Condren and Colleen and Al Nyberg, all of Buffalo, Missouri; her brother, Lester Evans, and her sister, Kay Peace, both of Lebanon, Missouri; her grandchildren, Rachel (Dale) Carter, Darcy (Jim) Wolscheid, John (Jean) Nyberg, Zach (Julie) Condren, and Nathan (Jessica) Nyberg; 13 great-grandchildren; seven great-great-grandchildren; along with many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends who will cherish her memory. She was preceded in death by her parents, the late Hosea Evans and Lillie (Hoover) Evans; her sisters, Georgia Blankenship Sturdivant, Willa Jean Usery, and infant sister Evelyn Evans; her brothers, John Evans and Bill Evans; and other loved ones. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 25, 2026 in the Cantlon-Otterness & Viets Funeral Home with Pastor Brad Duff and Bro. Dennis Skinner officiating. Escorts will be John Nyberg, Nathan Nyberg, Zack Condren, Rick Usery, Brent Evans, and Noel Evans. Honorary Escorts will be Craig Evans, Brian Evans, Mike Peace, Kelly Peace, Harold Evans, Dave McHenry, Bill Roberts, and Gary Davis. Interment will be in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery under the care and direction of the Cantlon-Otterness & Viets Funeral Home of Buffalo. Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Friday at the Funeral Home. She will be deeply missed, by her family and all who were blessed to know her. A special thank you to Chelsey and her staff at Pine Lodge for their care of Helen and wonderful friends and caretakers Janey Barber and Jane Wilson. The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Helen's memory.
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