CRAIG/FLAGLER PALMS FUNERAL HOME
511 Old Kings Road South
Flagler Beach, Florida

Charles M. Helm
October 9, 1930 – January 1, 2019



Charles M. Helm, 88, of Plantation Bay, passed away on January 1, 2019. Charlie, as he was known to his friends, was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1930. He was an avid athlete in high school, playing football, basketball, lacrosse and baseball. His father died while he was a junior and, in his senior year, he left school so that he could join the Navy and support his mother. He finished school in the Navy and spent 4 years on active duty and 2 years in the reserves. Involvement in the community was part of Charlie’s life in Baltimore, where he was a Boy Scout and a Sea Scout.

He married Charlotte V. Helm, “Ginger”, in 1952 and they moved to Cleveland, Ohio. They had two sons, Charles and Mark. Sadly, Mark passed away in 2009. At Charlie’s church in Berea, Ohio, he became the advisor to the Explorer Scouts and represented his church on the area Scout Council. He was elected to become Long House Chief, supervising over 59 tribes belonging to the south west YMCA Indian Guides.

Charlie entered the insurance business, joining New York Life in 1958, and then worked with Monarch Life Insurance in 1960 where he remained until 1991, working in both sales and management.

Serving as president of the Community Council and president of the Republican Club in Fairview Park, Ohio kept him quite busy, but he managed to serve as chairman of the Civil Service Commission in Fairview Park and, in 1985, was selected Citizen on the Year. He also served as President and Chair of the Northeast Ohio Health Association.

After moving to Dade City, Florida in 1985, to “semi-retire,” Charlie served as Vice President and Founding Board member for Downtown Main Street in Dade City and was on the Board of the local Rotary Club. During the three years Charlie spent in Dade City, he traveled back and forth to Ohio one week each month to take care of his clients there.

In 1988, Charlie and Ginger moved to Flagler County, where he became involved in many civic organizations. He has served as President and Charter Member of the Flagler Beach Rotary Club, President of the Flagler Beach Chamber of Commerce, President of the Flagler Beach Scenic Highway, President of the Friends of A1A, the sponsor of the National Scenic Byway covering Flagler and St. John’s County, President and Charter Member of the Flagler Beach Museum, President and founding member of RSVP/Flagler Volunteer Services, Chairman of the Flagler Beach Police Officers’ Pension Plan, President and founding member of the Flagler Auditorium Governing Board, member of the Flagler County Chamber Board for 6 years, serving as Vice President for 1 year, Secretary for 4 years, and on the Executive Board for 5 years.

In 1991, the agents of Monarch Life joined Penn Mutual Life Insurance Co. In 2003, Charlie left his full-time position at Penn Mutual Life to join ING Financial Partners, and in 2011 he entered into an association with Alliance Financial Partners in Palm Coast, as a backup for his clients. In his insurance career, Charlie specialized in the small business and physician’s markets and continued to commute to Ohio until his wife became ill. After 55 years of a wonderful marriage, Charlie’s wife Ginger, passed away in 2007, and he started traveling again to continue to work with his Ohio clients.

Charlie was named Citizen of the Year and Rotarian of the Year by the Rotary Club of Flagler Beach. He also received the Humanitarian of the Year Award from the Florida Hospital Flagler Foundation.

Charlie was a true humanitarian, always willing to help someone, to volunteer whenever and wherever needed, to give selflessly of himself to his friends, his clients and any others who needed a hand. He was, in all respects, “Mr. Flagler County”.

Charlie is survived by his son, Charles, daughter-in-law Rebecca, two granddaughters, Dara and Liandra and close friend, Kay Swingle, her daughter, Michelle, and Michelle’s daughters, Maddie and Katie.

He will be truly missed by all. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, January 12, 2018, 1:00 PM at the Flagler Auditorium. Arrangements are in the care and trust of Craig-Flagler Palms Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens.