Ann Helmuth Allard

Ann Helmuth Allard (1950-2017)

 Ann Helmuth grew up on Cedar Hill in Cleveland, where as a child she could watch steam locomotives and count the coal cars rumbling by. The rapid transit runs there now.

Her father Don worked at Linderme Tube, and her mother Ruth Walter was the archivist at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU).

Ann graduated from Euclid High School in 1968 before going to Case Institute of Technology, where she earned a B.S. in mathematics in 1971. She then continued at CWRU on to achieve an M.S. in Library Science in 1973, an M.S. in Health Science Education in 1975, and a Ph.D. in Information Science in 1977.   She was youngest of the 11 cousins on her mother’s (Walter) side and the only one to receive a Ph.D.

She founded Chagrin Consulting Services (CCS) located in Beachwood in 1993. Since 2004, CCS has been 100% woman-owned. Its values are promise-keeping, truth-telling, and grace in dealings with all people.

Ann’s uncle Carl W. Walter, M.D. taught surgery at Harvard Medical School and was the inventor of the plastic blood bag. She is survived by five of his six children: Carl F. Walter, M.D. of North Granby, CT; Martha LeRoy of Center Harbor, NH; David Walter of Stratham, NH; Linda Van de Caar of North Hampton, NH; and Margaret J. Rice also of North Hampton, NH. On her bucket list was a visit to see her eastern cousins, but it was not to be.

Her uncle Paul W. Walter co-founded the law firm of Walter-Haverfield in Cleveland.   She is also survived by his two children: Susan W. Cargile of Beachwood, OH; and “Tim” Paul Walter Jr. of Plainfield, MA.

Her uncle Armin worked for the Bureau of Unemployment Compensation in Columbus. His two children, George Walter of Olympia, WA; and Virginia Walter of San Luis Obispo, CA also survive her.

On her father’s side, Ginny Cunningham of Upper Arlington, OH survives her.

Ann loved cats and hiking in the woods. For many years she traveled with her cousin Tim to Columbus in May for her uncle Armin’s birthday and in October to Connecticut to visit Trudy Hall Lamb, her mother’s roommate at Radcliffe.

Ann used to say her birthday was easy to remember, “10-10-50.”   She died suddenly, at home alone with her two cats, just 18 days shy of her 67^th birthday, on 22 Sept. 2017. The official cause of death was listed as Hypertensive Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease.

There will be a remembrance and celebration of Ann’s life on Saturday, November 11, 2017, from 2 to 4 pm at the DeJohn-Flynn-Mylott Funeral Home, 4600 Mayfield Rd. (just East of Green Rd.), South Euclid.

In lieu of flowers donations in her memory may be made to CWRU, Extended Housing in Painesville​, or Stay Awhile Cat Shelter in North Royalton.