Local pioneer woman celebrates 90th

Helen Lorraine Doll Weyrich was born in her grandmother’s bedroom on Oct. 14, 1929, near Custer, S.D. She started school in 1937 at the Alkali School, a one-room school house with a wood stove for heat and two outhouses in the back. The school also had a swing set, where the kids could go out and play for recess when the weather was nice in the spring. 
Helen started Custer High School in 1944 and graduated as valedictorian in 1948. She received a full scholarship to the South Dakota State College in Brookings and graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education with minors in science and business education. She began her education career at Spearfish High School teaching physical education. During this time, she also found time to earn her private pilot’s license in 1953. She then taught in a rural school in Mead County and elementary schools in Rapid City and Piedmont, S.D.
Helen married her husband, Paul, of 65 years, and they moved to Newcastle, Wyo., where she taught elementary school for 30 years at Gertrude Burns Elementary School. They have three children, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She got to shake hands with President Gerald Ford and bagged her first of three moose in 1976. Helen was the first woman elected to the Newcastle City Council in 1978 and also served as
the president of the Newcastle Education Association. Helen and Paul developed and built several trailer courts in Newcastle and a street was named after them, Weyrich Drive. Following her retirement, she has kept busy doing volunteer work in Newcastle and traveling to many exciting places around the world. In Helen’s own words, “It has been quite an interesting life!”
A reception to honor Helen was held on July 19 in the lobby at the Custer Holiday Inn Express & Suites.