Helen Louise Billings

Helen Louise Billings of Johnston passed away on April 23, 2023 at Bishop Drumm Care Center. She left this world as she had lived, with quiet grace.

Helen was born on July 23, 1927 in her grandparent’s home in Doniphan, Missouri to Waymon K. “Hop” Wiggins and Eleanor Wiggins. She was the second child of three, joining older sister Mary, and later joined by younger brother Sam.

Helen grew up in Ava, Missouri and considered it her hometown. She was active in band and chorus and also played some mixed doubles tennis. During their first match her partner instructed her where to stand and he returned every shot. ? She earned spending money by singing for funerals at the Clinkingbeard Funeral Home.

Upon her high school graduation, Helen enrolled at William Woods College in Fulton, Missouri and earned a two-year degree, majoring in music. Mary also attended William Woods and aided Helen by working extra hours in the school dining hall so Helen could get the needed practice time for her music. She lived in Fulton in 1946 when British Prime Minister Winston Churchill spoke there following the conclusion of World War II.

One of her early teaching jobs was at the high school in Doniphan, Missouri where her parents lived. Her brother Sam was still attending high school when she taught there.

In the early 1950’s Helen moved to Des Moines to continue her teaching career after seeing an advertisement and noting the high salary being offered by the Des Moines public schools. She was a music teacher at Park Avenue school and lived with friends near Drake University. It was here she met a young lawyer, Joe Billings.

They were married on April 22, 1955 and had two sons, David and Steve. Their first home was in central Des Moines in the Sherman Hill district. They built a new home and moved to Johnston in 1961, immediately next door to Joe’s parents.

Helen began her teaching career in Johnston soon after and served for 30 years as a 3rd grade teacher, many years at Lawson Elementary. One fond memory occurred in 1968 when the family home was moved from Merle Hay Road to NW 62nd Avenue and the movers parked the house next to the grade school during their lunch break.


She attended countless ball games and track meets to watch her sons as they attended school at Johnston. She also loved watching her grandchildren, Alex and Jayme, compete in horse shows.

Helen joined Joe on his vacation travels. These included family car vacations across the USA, a trip to Hawaii, six weeks across Europe in the summer of 1972, and multiple trips to France and Germany to visit Joe’s college friends from Drake. They spent many winters in Phoenix following her retirement.

As a teacher, Helen touched the lives of many students. She cherished lasting friendships with her students, their parents, and school staff. She was one of two teachers inducted into the inaugural class of the Johnston Schools Hall of Fame.

She found great enjoyment and satisfaction as a mother, grandmother, and teacher, but working in their yard cultivating beautiful flowers and plants was her passion.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Joe Billings; brother, Sam Wiggins; sister, Mary Clinkingbeard; and son, David Billings. Survivors include her son, Steve Billings (Shellie) of rural Dallas Center; grandson, Alex Billings of Pella; and granddaughter, Jayme Ruhnke (Nick) of Laurel.

Memorial gifts to the Johnston Public Library Foundation are welcomed.

Visitation is scheduled at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines for Friday, April 28, 2023 from 5:00 until 7:00 PM.

A private burial service will be held at a future date.

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