Helen Bormann

Helen Bormann of Bryan, passed away on July 7, 2023. Helen was born in Dallas, Iowa to Rev. Harry Howard and Millie (Scott) Howard on April 6, 1922. At the age of 8, the family moved to Brownsville, Texas, and in 1933 moved to Wichita, Kansas.

After high school, Helen attended Franklin Business College in Wichita while continuing to study piano and organ at Wichita State University, Downtown Division. She was also active in musical productions at Wichita State. In 1940, Helen moved to McAllen, Texas.

In 1942 Helen was married to Arthur L. “Roy” Bormann and they moved to Rio Grande City where Roy was employed by Civil Service at Fort Ringgold. After Pearl Harbor, Roy enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was assigned to Moore Field Air Force Base in Mission, Texas and they made their home in McAllen. While he was stationed at Moore Field, Helen worked for the ration board as a clerk. In 1945, Roy was transferred to Lowry Field in Denver, Colorado where Helen was employed by civil service, holding a permanent stenographer’s rating. After Roy was discharged from the service, they again returned to McAllen where she worked as a legal secretary for Cox, Taylor and Bentsen law firm. She left the business world in 1948 to be a stay-at-home mom. In 1954 after the girls were in school, she went to work for the Bentsen organization where she worked for over 30 years, 20 years of that time as secretary to Lloyd M. Bentsen Sr.

Helen and Roy always wanted to live in the hill country and in 1984 built a home in Fredericksburg where they lived for over 20 years. In 2005, they moved to Bryan to be nearer to family.

Through the years, Helen worked tirelessly at her church, always putting God and family first. She was the church organist for many years. Helen and Roy joined First Baptist Church of Bryan soon after moving to Bryan.

Helen is survived by two daughters, Barbara Brown (Bruce) of Spring Branch, Texas, and Kathryn Putz (Gary) of Wheelock, Texas; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 80 years, Roy; two brothers, John Howard of Norwalk, California, and James Howard of Corpus Christi, Texas; and one sister, Melba Waugh of Derby, Kansas.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to The American Heart Association.