Wilhelmine (Helma) Elisabeth (Backhaus) Schloemer, 88, died Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Winchester, VA after a long and blessed life. Visitation with the family and funeral will be Friday, May 10, 2024 at 11am at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Winchester.

Helma was born on January 29th, 1936, in Strucklingen, Germany to Helene (Lanwer) and Julius Backhaus. She was the second of eight children. She earned her nursing certification in Dusseldorf Germany, before emigrating to the United States in 1958. Her intention was to learn English and become a cruise ship nurse and see the world, but the trip across the Atlantic, and the resultant seasickness, convinced her that that was not her path. While in Chicago visiting her uncle, she met her future husband, Carl. After showing him the birthplace of his parents in Germany, the two fell in love and she returned to the USA for good. They were married in Chicago on December 30th, 1961, and they raised five children. She received her RN certification and worked as a nurse at Providence Hospital in Washington, DC, but retired after her second child.

The Backhaus sisters were renowned in Germany for the sense of discipline, independence, and adventure that their father instilled in them. Helma carried this with her to America and instilled it in her children. Her drive toward perfection with which she pushed her family was beautifully complemented by her kindness and care for others, and great moments of helpless joy and laughter. She is remembered (not always fondly by her children) awakening her family in the early morning with joyful song.

Helma was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Carl and her sisters Helene Woehrmann, Hildegunda Burwinkle (husband Hubert), and Ursula Rolfes (husband Josef).

She is survived by her siblings, Georg (wife Cristina), Irmgard Bunker (husband Clemens), Maria Bauer (husband Berthold), and Theo (wife Agnes), and her children Ingrid (husband Rob) Mills, Paul, Mark (wife Beth), Eric and Martin, and her twelve grandchildren: Meg (Jeff), Eric (Lauren), Thomas, Elly, Anna (Josh), Emma, Kaylie, Tess, Erin, Aidan, Sadie and Mia and one great-grandson, Levi.