Helen Marie McDermet AKA Anna Kim:

 

Helen Marie McDermet AKA Anna Kim:
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of, Anna Kim also known to many as, Helen Marie McDermet, on June 25, 2026, at the age of 72. Helen passed away peacefully at The Healthcare Resort of Topeka after a courageous battle with cancer. 

She was surrounded by love and care, and her unwavering spirit will forever remain in he hearts of those who knew her. Helen was born on September 1, 1953, in Seoul, Korea where she was found in a trench at a very young age along with other children during the Korean war. 

She was taken to an orphanage, and was adopted by Theodore William and Ethel Louise Schueneman of Roswell New Mexico and taken to the United States. 

Her life was  testament to resilience and grace, qualities she displayed from a young age.

 She spent her formative years in Roswell, New Mexico, where she graduated from Goddard High School and furthered her education at St. John's College in Winfield, Kansas. Helen's career as a certified nurse's aide allowed her to touch many lives. Her dedication to caring for others was evident in her work until she became disabled in the early 1990s. Despite the challenges she faced, Helen never let her circumstances define her spirit. Her love for reading and playing computer 

games was a testament to her enduring curiosity and zest for life.

She was a devoted member of Christ Lutheran Church of Topeka, Kansas, where her faith was a source of 

strength and comfort. Helen's strong faith was a guiding force throughout her life, offering solace and inspiration to all 

who knew her.

Helen's personal life was filled with moments of joy and resilience. She married Obie Dwight Burton in 1973, they had a daughter together. Heather Louise, and 

although their paths soon diverged, she found love again with Gary Hays in the late 1970s. They had a daughter together, Sarah Christine. Their journey together was brief, and in 1986, she married James Turner McDermet. They had two children together. Mary Eleta and James Turner Jr. who passed during pregnancy.

 Though their marriage ended after four years, it brought forth 

cherished memories and shared experiences.

Helen was predeceased by her beloved daughter, Sarah Christine Ryser, and her son, James Turner McDermet Jr.

 Her legacy continues through her surviving daughters, Heather Louise Burton and Mary Eleta McDermet, both of Concordia, Kansas. 

She also leaves behind her  grandchildren:

Elizabeth Rose Cannon, Katherine Cannon both

of Concordia Kansas, Siriah Starr Sexton, Alexis Dawn Sexton, and Jasmine Nicole 

Sexton of Great Bend, Kansas, and Austin Lee Brown of Victoria, Texas and her seven great-

grandchildren.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to The Healthcare Resort of Topeka, its dedicated staff, nurses, 

and aides who provided exceptional care to Helen. A special thank you is also extended to Shauna Bliss for her 

extraordinary role as a social worker, offering unwavering support and companionship during the last ten years of 

Helen's life.

Helen Marie McDermet's life was a tapestry woven with faith and resilience.  May her soul rest in eternal peace.