Daphne Helfrich

Funeral services for Daphne Helfrich, 64, of Sun City, AZ, formerly of Dickinson, will be 10:00 a.m., Friday, July 29, 2022 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Dickinson. Farther Bill Ruelle will celebrate the mass. Burial will be in Sts. Peter & Paul Cemetery in New Hradec. Visitation will be 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., Thursday, July 28, 2022 at Stevenson Funeral Home with Rosary & Vigil held at 6:00 p.m.

Daphne passed away peacefully in her home on May 25, 2022.

Born December 19, 1957, Daphne was one of seven siblings (Edward, Roger, Cary, Duane, Maribeth, and Marie) who grew up on their family’s beautiful farm north of Dickinson, North Dakota. She attended school in Dickinson and graduated from Trinity High School. After graduating, Daphne met Charlie Helfrich while working at the Ramada Inn. Their marriage, which took place in December 1977, was blessed with two children, Jason and Miranda.

Daphne started working at Gate City Bank in the fall of 1977, where she started many lasting friendships. After about 20 years at Gate City, she worked for the Dickinson Police Department where she spread joy and laughter with the people that worked hard keeping Dickinson safe. During this time in Dickinson, she played volleyball and golf with her friends, spent many weekends camping with her family, and never missed a pickling season. She pickled so much that one room in her family’s basement was covered with shelves to keep all of the different things she canned.

Daphne was constantly cold in ND and was even known to wear nylons under her jeans to keep the chill out. She finally got to permanently escape the North Dakota winters in 2003 when she moved to Mesa, AZ. While in Arizona, she worked for Penske Automotive in the title department. When she wasn’t comfortably sweating in the Arizona heat, she was walking her dogs or visiting her brother, Duane, and sister-in-law, Lana, in Strawberry, AZ.

Daphne’s infectious, giggly laugh followed her everywhere she went. Regardless of the situation (appropriate or not), Daphne would find something to laugh about and inevitably pass those giggles on to the people that were lucky enough to be next to her. The other thing that followed Daphne through life was her love of cartoons. She watched more ‘kid’ movies than any adult and didn’t apologize for it. She didn’t need to. Everyone that loved her, adored all of her funny quirks. Daphne never missed an opportunity to give someone a hard time. She had a gift for using humor in a way that made you feel loved.
Daphne is survived by her mother, Francis Ridl; children, Jason Helfrich and Miranda Daigneault; children-in-law, Nicole Helfrich and Joe Daigneault, III; grandchildren, Charlie Daigneault and Joey Daigneault, IV; brothers, Edward Ridl, Duane Ridl, Roger Ridl, and Cary Ridl.

She was preceded in death by her father, Edward Ridl; and sisters, Marie Ridl and Maribeth Ridl.