Helen Davlos Deck

Helen Davlos Deck, 73, of Indianapolis, Indiana, passed from this life on June 11, 2026. Helen was born on June 22, 1952, in Kokomo, Indiana, to her parents Theodore and Katina (Papadopoulos) Davlos. During her childhood, she spent time in both the United States and her parents’ native Greece.

Helen returned to the United States as a teenager, where she attended Kokomo High School, graduating in 1970. After high school, she attended Indiana University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Education, Special Education, and Teaching, and then continued her education at Butler University, earning her Masters degree in Elementary Education. Helen spent her professional career as a special education teacher and tutor with both the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and Indianapolis Public Schools, enriching the lives of countless students. She found so much joy in teaching and would speak fondly of her students, even years after teaching them.

Helen was an avid runner, putting thousands of miles on her running shoes over the course of her life. She participated in many marathons and half-marathons, always finishing one and immediately training for her next. Her Meridian-Kessler neighbors would often see Helen running early in the morning, though she was never too busy to stop for a good chat. Later in her life, her runs transitioned to walks, then to “shuffles” as she liked to call them, but her love for getting out and moving her feet never changed.

Helen’s happy place was anywhere there was water. As soon as the weather turned warm, her family and friends could most often find her lounging by her pool, book in hand, and either Jimmy Buffet or the Beatles playing on her speaker. Helen made her own little “sandy beach” by the pool, but she loved any chance she had to get herself to an actual beach by the ocean. The islands of Key West and Jamaica were favorites of hers, and she shared so many stories about the experiences she had while on “island time.”

A loving mother, grandmother, teacher, and friend, Helen is survived by her son, Christian Deck; daughter-in-law, Claire Deck; granddaughter, Cecelia Deck, of Indianapolis, Indiana; and many friends, and former colleagues and students. She will be dearly missed.

A Celebration of Life for Helen will be held on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at Flanner Buchanan - Broad Ripple, 1305 Broad Ripple Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46220. A Visitation will be held from 12-1 p.m., with a Celebration of Life following at 1 p.m. Memorial contributions can be made to one of Helen’s favorite charities, Save the Manatee Club (https://savethemanatee.org/.)