Helen Deloris (Kerns) Whitaker "Honey", 91, of Elmo, Missouri passed away on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the Clarinda Regional Health Center in Clarinda, Iowa.

Helen was born in Elmo, Missouri on October 29, 1934, to Albert Ross Kerns and Bessie Leona (Johnson) Kerns. She was the 16th child out of 16. She graduated from Elmo High School in 1953. She married Charles Theodore Whitaker "Teed" on May 12, 1955 in Elmo, MO.

For awhile, Helen worked as the Postmaster at the Elmo post office, and assisted REA Electric as the emergency phone service contact. She was a homemaker and she kept herself busy with volunteer work as well as various hobbies such as genealogy, Bible study, playing cards, reading, and crocheting. She loved her family and she was always volunteering and helping others.

She was a member and secretary/treasurer of the Elmo Christian Church, where she was baptized on November 27, 1966. She was also member of the Bradley Carver American Legion Post 492 Auxiliary and the Elmo Betterment Club.

She was preceded in death by her husband Charles "Teed" Whitaker, her parents, son Roger Whitaker and fourteen brothers and sisters.

Helen is survived by her son, James (Donna) Whitaker; three grandchildren, Jacob Whitaker, Adam (Kim) Whitaker and April (Shaun) Bodle; six great grandchildren, Jaxon, Levi, Allison, Jace, Chloe, and Theodore "Theo"; her brother, Albert Kerns; daughter-in-law, Annette (Gary) Mercer and many nieces/nephews and great-nieces/great-nephews.

Services will be held at 11am Thursday, May 28th at the Elmo Christian Church under the care of Price Funeral Home. Burial will follow at the LaMar Cemetery in Elmo, Missouri. Visitation will be held at the church one hour prior to the services. In memory of Helen, her family suggests memorials to Camp Quality or the Elmo Betterment Club.