John Helget, age 80, of Ellis, Kansas passed away Thursday, March 26, 2026, at the Kansas Soldiers' Home in Fort Dodge, Kansas. He was born November 12, 1945, in Ellis, Kansas to Fred and Marie (Neuberger) Helget.
John graduated from Ellis High School in 1963 where he participated in football and school government. After graduation he began his career with Union Pacific. This was interrupted when John was drafted into the US Army for duty in Vietnam. John was a distinguished serviceman earning Purple Heart, a Bronze Star and a Combat Infantry Badge which he was most proud of. After completing his military duty John returned to Ellis and resumed his Engineer duties with Union Pacific where he retired from in 2005.
In 1983 John married Cheryl Duell in Hays, Kansas. She preceded him in death on March 14, 2015. John was a skilled, self-taught mechanic. He always had a fast car but was also Ellis’s foremost authority on Volkswagens. His shop was an active gathering spot where he and his friends would work on cars, scooters, lawnmowers, generators, or any other fix-it opportunities he thought he could flip for a buck or two. Eventually the work would stop, and the stories would start flying. John valued his friends, adored his family, and was always helping out both.
John is survived by his children, Marty Helget of Wichita, Kansas, Jordan Helget and wife Chelsea of Tucson, Arizona and Paige Helget of Oakley, Kansas; grandchildren, Henry Helget of Wichita and Cana and Sam Campbell of Oakley; and his mother-in-law, Virginia Duell of Ellis.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Cheryl; a brother, Larry Helget and two sisters, Evelyn “Punkie” Erbert and Judy Helget.
Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Monday, March 30, 2026, with visitation from 9:30 until service time at Keithley Funeral Homes - Ellis Chapel 400 E. 17th Ellis, KS 67637. Military Honors to follow services courtesy of the Ellis VFW Honor Guard.
Burial will take place at 2:00 PM MDT in the Goodland Cemetery in Goodland, Kansas. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Ellis VFW or the Kansas Soldiers' Home.
Please share memories on John's tribute page at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com