Craig A. Helmer

Funeral service for Craig Allen Helmer, 39, of Hoyt Lakes, will be 10:30am Friday, January 6, 2012 in Trinity Methodist Church in Hoyt Lakes. Pastor Barbara Hegfors will officiate. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be at a later date in the Hoyt Lakes Memorial Cemetery. Arrangements by Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Aurora. Craig died unexpectedly on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012 at his residence. He was born Sept. 4, 1972 in Virginia, MN to Stephen and Susan (Heittola) Helmer. Craig was raised in Hoyt Lakes and was a 1991 graduate of Mesabi East High School. He then graduated from Staples Area Vo Tech with a degree in Machine Tool Technology. He worked in St. Cloud and later in Two Harbors as a machinist. Craig currently worked for Minn Tac as a laborer. On August 13, 2011 he married Amanda Shain in Hoyt Lakes. Craig was an avid hunter and fisherman. He had a true love and respect for nature and all of God's critters. Craig was always right there when anyone needed a helping hand. Survivors include his wife, Amanda; step-children, Jared and Cali; parents, Susan (Gary) Lund of Hoyt Lakes and Stephen (Sylvia) Helmer of Saginaw; brother, Clayton (Silva) Helmer of St. Paul; nephews, Ethan and Elliot; niece, Elise; father and mother-in-law, Norman and Debi Shain of Aurora; brother by choice, Al (Amy) Krueth of Virginia; step brother, Gary Lund; step sister, Ruth Rankins and her children, Tina and Tara. He is preceded in death by his grandparents, Harry and Madeline Helmer and Niilo and Helena Heittola and a brother by choice, Brian Krueth.