Helmut A. Michelson was born on March 29, 1938 in Riga, Latvia to Edgar and Lydia Michelson. Due to the impending invasion by the Soviet Union, the family fled in early 1940, was resettled in occupied Poland and then re-established the family bakery there. His father was drafted into the German Air Force in 1944. The rest of the family was again forced to flee in February 1945 as the Soviet army advanced. Helmut, his mother and brother arrived in a refugee camp in Denmark and were there when the war ended. The family was eventually reunited and as they struggled in post war Europe, decided to emigrate to America in search of a better life. Helmut was 13 at the time. The family eventually settled in Detroit, Michigan where Helmut went to high school, met Ilse Jeschke, his future wife, and completed his required military service as an enlisted soldier in the U.S. Army. After marrying Ilse, the couple moved to California but shortly after arriving, Helmut was called to vocational ministry. The couple moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota where Helmut completed his theological training at Sioux Falls Seminary. The couple began a family and Brian was born in 1966, followed by Linda in 1969. They then moved to Corn, Oklahoma where he pastored a small Baptist church and David was born in 1971.
After moving to Carpentersville, Illinois, Helmut was offered the opportunity to become an Army chaplain, a lifetime goal for him. He accepted and the family moved to Fort Lewis, Washington, where Dennis was born in 1975. Over a 20-year military career, Helmut went on to serve in Fort Sam Houston, Texas, Budingen, Germany, Fort Stewart, Georgia, Fort Carson, Colorado, Johnston Atoll, Frankfurt, Germany, Iraq during the First Gulf War, Mannheim, Germany, and Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. After retiring from the military, Helmut and Ilse moved to Sterling Heights, Michigan to be reunited with their lifetime friends, most of whom were also former refugees. He worked as a hospital chaplain before moving to Orlando, Florida in 1998. He continued pastoral service at an Orlando funeral home until moving to Clermont, Florida in 2002.
Known for his strong patriotism, zany sense of humor, fun-loving nature, and 110% enthusiasm for anything he did, Helmut was a large personality who never met a stranger. One to always open his and Ilse’s home, he would often befriend people whom he sensed needed encouragement. He loved his family, buttermilk, pickled herring, creating assorted culinary experiments, America and the Lord, although not necessarily in that order.
Helmut was preceded in death by Ilse, his wife of 59 years, in May of 2022, and his older brother, George Michelson, in February of 2025. He is survived by Brian Michelson of Miami, Florida, Linda Sanders of Belmont, North Carolina, David Michelson of Clermont, Florida, Dennis Michelson of Winter Garden, Florida, and seven grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his name to either Living Hope Church of Clermont, Florida (https://onrealm.org/LivingHopeChurc/-/form/give/now) / 950 7th St, Clermont, FL 34711 or Hope Community Church of Sterling Heights, Michigan (https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/1286536) / 42259 Hayes Rd., Sterling Heights, MI 48313.
A memorial service will be held at Alto Senior Living (1601 Hooks St., Clermont, FL 34711) on Saturday, July 12 at 10:30 a.m. with light refreshments served afterwards.
