Roger Michael Helmer, age 83, of West Bloomfield, Michigan and formerly of Rogers City, passed away July 28, 2025. He was born April 15, 1942, in Afton, Michigan to Carl and Helen (Nielson) Helmer. Roger was born at home in Afton, a small town in Northern Michigan, where the families of his mother and father had deep roots, dating to the original European settlers on Mackinac Island. Roger was one of 8 children raised principally in Saginaw, Michigan, where his father worked with Standard Oil for many years.

Roger attended Catholic schools as a child and attended junior college in Bay City, Michigan before moving to the University of Michigan in the early 1960’s. He enlisted in the US Army in 1966 and moved through Officer Candidate School, Ranger training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and eventually graduating at the top of his Army Intelligence class at Fort Holabird, Maryland. He completed jungle training in Central America and deployed from Fort Carson, Colorado to Vietnam in March of 1968 as an infantry Lieutenant attached to the 1st Infantry and other units over the next year. Upon his return stateside in March of 1969, he was promoted to Captain and spent time as a Company Commander in a training role at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri.

Roger met his future wife, Beverly Beagle, in Colorado Springs and they married in August of 1969 while he was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood. Upon discharge from the military, Roger and Bev returned to Michigan, where Roger completed his undergraduate degree at Eastern Michigan University and his law degree at the University of Detroit. He hired in with the Veterans Administration in Detroit in the mid 1970’s and worked as an Adjudicator at the VA until his retirement in 2004. He was a dedicated father and ensured his children focused on their education while enjoying weekends and family time, including annual summer vacations on the East Coast to visit Bev’s family in Vermont and the Boston area. He and Bev raised two children in Southfield before they retired in Rogers City, close to the woods and rivers he enjoyed as a young boy. 

Roger enjoyed long walks on the beaches and forest trails of northern Michigan for many years, usually with his dog or Bev. He was an avowed outdoorsman and loved his Brittany Spaniel bird dogs as a younger man, flushing pheasants on long walks and scouting for the fall deer season. He had a large extended family and enjoyed many Novembers at deer camps across the State of Michigan. He and his brother Brian also shared a boat for many years, taking many fishing trips with various family members on the inland and Great Lakes. He knew where the old docks were in Tawas and enjoyed helping his kids, nieces and nephews pull perch and walleye out of Tawas Bay. 

Roger retained a lifelong connection to the Catholic church, although the family attended North Congregational Church for several decades and he greatly valued the community at “North Church”. He was a stoic and intellectual man who enjoyed poetry, novels and classical music but always felt at home in small towns, perusing sporting-goods stores and talking to locals about hunting and fishing.  

The beloved husband of Beverly for just shy of 56 years. Loving father of Scott (Stacy) and Elisabeth (Stanley Ehrenfeld). Proud grandfather of Tabitha Helmer, Felix Ehrenfeld, and Grayson Helmer. Dear brother of Rick, Cynthia, Alan Joe, Beth, the late Philip, the late Diane, and the late Brian. Roger is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Visitation for Roger will be held on Friday, August 8th, from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at McCabe Funeral Home, 31950 W. 12 Mile Rd., Farmington Hills, Michigan.

His Memorial Service will take place on Saturday, August 9th, at 11:00 a.m. at North Congregational Church, 36520 W. 12 Mile Rd., Farmington Hills, Michigan, followed immediately by a luncheon in the Church fellowship hall.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Roger’s name may be made to North Congregational Church or the Alzheimer's Association.