Helen Elliott

Helen Hales Elliott passed away Friday, September 13th after a short illness, surrounded by family. Helen was born in 1928 to Lura and Orville Hales, and she lived nearly her entire life in Conrad, most of it in the house that was her mother’s. After her father tragically died when she was 9 years old, she grew up quickly, graduating from Conrad High School in only 3 years as salutatorian.

Helen was a strong-willed and good-hearted woman, years ahead of her time. At the young age of 16, she began college at the University of Minnesota, transferring to University of Montana when the former was hit by a polio outbreak. She also attended summer sessions at various other universities, including the University of California at Berkeley. She was a proud member of Alpha Chi Omega and eventually became president of her chapter.

During her time at U of Montana, Helen also found the love of her life and future husband, fellow Conrad native Everett Elliott. She chose to withdraw from college to care for her ailing mother, who unfortunately succumbed to breast cancer when Helen was 21. Helen and Everett married later that year, in December of 1949, and shortly after their honeymoon she completed her bachelor’s degree in Music Education from U of M; she remained a lifelong Grizzlies fan. She proudly served several terms on the U of M Alumni Board!

Helen and Everett then spent their early years working at the Conrad Creamery and Dry Fork Ranch that Helen inherited, and Helen continued to be involved in farming that land right up until her passing. She also allowed a portion of the farmland to be used for the Lions Club annual Whoop-Up Rodeo – a site which is now known as the Helen Elliott Arena. In 2007, she was honored as the Whoop-Up Grand Marshal.

Helen pursued an elementary teaching certificate at the University of Great Falls, where she also took flying lessons. She then taught music in the Conrad school system and in private piano and voice lessons, inspiring thousands of people in their talent and love of music. If you are from the area, there is a good chance you or someone you know took music lessons from Helen.

Helen was also quite possibly the longest-serving church choir director in the country. She began directing the church choir at the First Presbyterian Church of Conrad at age 21 and continued as its director for a full 64 years – an amazing feat! She loved her church dearly and developed the choir to its full potential.

Helen was devoted to her family, her church, her music students, the Orpheum, and the town of Conrad, which she continuously sought to bolster and improve over her lifetime. She served as the Civil Defense Director of Conrad and the Disaster & Emergency Services Coordinator of Pondera County for a total of 19 years, dealing with a variety of emergencies during her tenure. As part of this role, she held a national leadership position and thoroughly enjoyed meeting people from across the country while attending national conferences. Perhaps influenced by these experiences, Helen decided that the town of Conrad would benefit from an NPR station, so she worked tirelessly to convince the FCC to bring NPR to the Conrad area in the form of K217FH, now known as Yellowstone Public Radio.

The next challenge that Helen chose to tackle was a formidable one: the Orpheum Theatre in Conrad, which had been closed for many years. Seeing its potential, she argued that it should be renovated and turned into an event space for performers, so she founded the Pondera Arts Council to help make this goal a reality. Through the help of local donations, various grants, and a lot of hard work, the Council was able to fully renovate the theatre and reopen it, providing the town of Conrad with a venue for both movies and live performances, including a yearly concert schedule. In recognition of her contributions, Helen received the Unsung Hero Award in Conrad and the Silver Spur Award in the Conrad-Shelby area.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband Everett, and she is survived by three children and their spouses (Dan & Linda, Lura & Steve, and Steve & Marcia) as well as seven grandchildren (Austin, Lindan, Alex, Megan, Max, Ryan, and Taylor) and seven great grandchildren (Ella, Theo, Lorraine, Eliza, Mae, Jack, and Everett). She will be missed greatly. A private burial service will be held, with a Celebration of Life to follow in April of 2025. Donations should be directed to the First Presbyterian Church of Conrad and also the Orpheum Theatre of Conrad. When you hear music, think of Helen.