'Dearly missed by all:' Williamson County District Attorney Kim Helper dies

Longtime Williamson County District Attorney Kim Helper died Monday, according to family members as well as officials with the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference.

Helper, 63, a 25-year Franklin resident, was the district attorney general for the 21st Judicial District, which includes Williamson County. She was appointed to the position in April 2008 and elected to the position in August 2008. She was re-elected in 2014 and last year.

Helper's obituary states she died "after a sudden and brief illness" Monday and "passed away peacefully" while "surrounded by family."

A family statement, released Tuesday on social media, said Helper suffered a stroke about a week before her death. Helper spent the following week in the hospital and "due to complications" she died Monday, the statement said.

Prior to joining the district attorney’s office, Helper worked in Tennessee as an assistant attorney general in the criminal justice division.

Stacey Edmonson, deputy district attorney general, described the emotions of the district staff as “great sorrow” in a statement about Helper’s death Tuesday.

“General Helper was a well-loved mother, wife, friend, mentor and community leader,” Edmonson said. “She served the 21st Judicial District with distinction and honor as the elected District Attorney General for fifteen years. General Helper served the State of Tennessee for twenty-five years this month. Her imprint on this community and the State of Tennessee will be felt for years to come.”

The Williamson County Republican Party issued the following statement Tuesday morning:

We regret to inform you of the sorrowful news of the demise of the Honorable Kim Helper, who passed away yesterday. 

The late Ms. Helper was esteemed in her community and was an active member of various organizations such as St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Lodge #41 of the Fraternal Order of Police, Keep Tennessee Beautiful Advisory Board, Williamson County Republican Career Women, Leadership Franklin Alumni Association, Tennessee Bar Association Leadership Law Alumni, and Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

Helper's background

Helper was past president of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference. She served on the Tennessee Bar Association Board of Governors representing the 6th District.

Helper was a 1993 graduate of Stetson University College of Law and a 1981 graduate of SUNY College at Buffalo, where she earned a degree in mass communications.

She previously worked with the state attorney’s office in Tampa, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks. She is a former broadcast news anchor/reporter.

Helper leaves a husband, Gerry, and daughters Renee and Abby.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Williamson County District Attorney Kim Helper has died