In March, 1915, the family came to Wimbledon, from LaHarpe, Illinois, settling on a farm near there. About 8 months later, they moved into town, but Mr. Helmers continued to farm, acquiring additional land, until the early thirties, when he rented his farms to tenants and moved to Valley City. The family was active in the Methodist Church in Wimbledon, and participated in community affairs, transferring membership to the Methodist Church in Valley City.
Gladys graduated from Wimbledon high school, attended college for a couple years in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and Dakota Business College in Fargo. There she worked for a firm of attorneys 2½ years, and came to Valley City in 1925 to serve as court reporter for Judge M. J. Englert. In 1933, she was admitted to the bar. In January, 1935, she went to Washington, D.C., being employed on the Hill for nearly a year, almost 8 years in the Department of Agriculture, and several months each in War Relocation Authority and UNRRA, the forerunner of United Nations. She returned to Valley City in the fall of 1944.
In April of 1945, she went to LaMoure as court reporter, resigning from that position in 1963 to enter the practice of law with Judge A. G. Porter, who had resigned from the bench there. In October of 1967, she returned to Valley City, practicing law through 1970, and then retiring.
Mr. and Mrs. Helmers moved to LaMoure in 1946, Mr. Helmers passing away there in 1950. Mrs. Helmers returned to Valley City with her daughter in 1967, and died here in 1973.
During the years in LaMoure, Gladys was an active member of the Federated Womens Clubs, including service as District President. She is a member of the United Methodist Church, the P.E.O. sisterhood, ESO, and State Bar Association. Music and travel have been her hobbies, having participated in church music first as a choir member, and then as either organist or director or singer for a period of over 50 years. Travel has included the Holy Land, two trips to Europe, Hawaii, and most of continental United States and much of Canada.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 100