Mike Helton
Mike was born June 11, 1962 in Jackson, Tennessee, to Phyllis (Wadley) Helton and Billy Charles Helton. Mike went home to the Lord he loved on August 29, 2025 at his home with family, hospice nurse Maleah, and best friend Dean Emison at his side.
Mike married his wife Alicia (Bradford) on August 21, 1982. They have one son, Michael Dustin “Dusty” (Ashley) Helton of Sevierville. Tennessee.
Mike is a 1980 graduate of Northside High School, where he enjoyed playing in the band. He also attended Jackson State Community College.
Mike was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents Mack “Pete” and Katherine Wadley; paternal grandparents Chester and Agnes Helton, and father Billy Charles Helton.
Mike worked for the Jackson Energy Authority from March,1981 until his retirement December 31,2018, starting on the grounds crew and retiring as the Supervisor of Electric Meter and Controls. He was a gifted electrician. In his earlier days, he worked with his dad in his father’s construction company. After retirement, he started his own tractor company, MCH Services, which he enjoyed until his illness onset. He also worked at the bait and supply store at Lake Graham, and made friends with the regular customers and game wardens.
Mike was a member of Englewood Baptist Church. He especially enjoyed playing bass guitar in the worship band. He had also been a member of the choir. Mike loved the Lord and felt honored to serve Him with the music ministry. Mike could also play acoustic guitar and electric guitar, but the bass guitar was his passion and he was a very talented player.
Mike and Alicia loved traveling, especially cruising, completing at least 47, including cruises to Alaska, Hawaii, New England, and the Caribbean They also enjoyed vacationing with friends, making countless trips with them on cruises and to the Smokies.
Mike was an avid hunter and fisherman. In earlier years, he would hunt deer, but for the past few decades, Duck hunting was what he really enjoyed. Mike also liked to fish and had his own boat. Mike and Dusty have taken a few guided fishing trips on Douglas Lake in East Tennessee, close to where Dusty lives.
Mike and Alicia are blessed with an extremely close knit group of friends that are more considered to be close family. Among them are Chris and Jennifer McLemore, Fran and Bedford Sorrell, Neil and Lori Gaugh, Kat and Wayne Usery, Jim and Cindy Dachs, Jeff and Subrenia Barnett, and Carol Chipman. Some or all of us were together most every weekend for a meal and a game of Mexican train dominoes.
Mike is survived by his mother, Phyllis Helton; brother Russell Helton, sister Sheila (Dean) Crews; nephew Dalton Helton, niece Rebecca (Jay) Wright, great nephews Tyler, Wyatt and Micah Wright, and one great niece Rylee Wright; aunts Peggy Feltman and Marylou Wadley; uncle Ray Sherrill; numerous cousins and one particularly close cousin, Susan Morris.
We wish to thank Dr. Anastasios Georgiou, Dr. Gregory Franz, and the entire staff of Kirkland Cancer Center for their excellent care, kindness and compassion.
We would also like to thank all of our family members, friends, neighbors, church family members, and people who didn’t even know us, but heard about us from people who did, for holding us up in prayer. We absolutely could not have endured this illness and passing without your prayers, calls, texts and visits.
A service to celebrate the life of Mike Helton will be held on Wednesday, September 3, 2025 at 1:00 pm at the South Chapel of George A. Smith and Sons with burial following in the Maple Springs Cemetery near Mercer. The family will receive friends at the funeral home beginning at 11 a.m., two hours prior to the service.
The family would consider it an honor if, since Mike was an avid outdoorsman and not one to dress up much, visitors to the funeral home would dress in blue jeans, and any hunters or fishermen wear their sporting attire.
Mikes services will be officiated by dear friend Chris McLemore. Music for Mikes service will be provided by Alicia’s cousins Ken Bowman and Maddie Bowman Woods.
Pallbearers will be best friends Dean Emison, Neil Gaugh, Wayne Usery, Jeff Barnett, nephew Dalton Helton and nephew Jay (Rebecca) Wright.
The family requests donations to the Kirkland Cancer Center, 720 West Forest Avenue, Jackson, Tennessee, 38301, in lieu of flowers or gifts.
