Helen Louise Nefkens

Helen Louise Nefkens (née Helen Louise Rapp), born August 15, 1934, in New Harmony, Ind., passed away peacefully on January 25, 2026, after a brief illness.

Helen was a true pioneer of her generation, breaking many of the traditional expectations of a young woman in her era. She pushed boundaries by driving solo from Wisconsin to Mexico City to pursue a master’s degree. She taught Spanish on television in the 1950’s. She traveled the world. Born and raised in New Harmony, Ind., Helen’s curiosity, independence, and ambition would lead her to explore new cultures, learn new languages, and ultimately meet her husband Bernard (Ben), a Dutch national. Helen’s life was defined by her love for her family, travel, UCLA and her hometown of New Harmony. She was a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, and friend who touched the hearts of everyone she met.

At Indiana University, Helen majored in Spanish and was a member of the Chi Omega sorority. While at Indiana University, she was chosen to play the flute with the Indiana Belles, a touring music ensemble that entertained US troops in the Far East, following the Korean War. With the Belles, she travelled to, among other destinations, Okinawa, Tokyo, and several places in Korea, including a visit to the 38th Parallel that still divides North and South Korea. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1956, she studied at the National University of Mexico, in Mexico City, where she was awarded a master’s degree in Spanish. To get there, and before there were interstate highways, she drove by herself from the University of Wisconsin, where she had recently completed a summer intensive Spanish language course. After obtaining her master’s degree, she returned to the United States and taught Spanish initially at Drake University in Iowa and then at Purdue University in Ind.

While at Purdue University, she met her husband Ben on a campus library tour. They fell in love and married in 1961, and then moved to Champaign-Urbana, Ill., where Ben had a research position at the University of Illinois. Their first two children, Julie and Karla, were born while they lived there. Ben was then offered a professorship in the Department of Physics at UCLA, and the family moved to Los Angeles, Calif. Their third child, Charles (Chuck), was born in Los Angeles.

Once in Calif., Helen became very involved with the UCLA community and her children’s schools and activities. She was extremely active with the UCLA Faculty Women’s Club, holding many officer positions, including that of President. She was responsible for creating a number of new sections for the Club, and she was active in many, including the Scholarship Committee, the French Conversation group, Let’s Do Lunch, and The Birthday Club.

Helen lived in Europe multiple times while accompanying Ben when he was on sabbaticals from UCLA to conduct research at world-renowned physics laboratories. She developed excellent language skills through these travels and also became proficient in French. She lived in Geneva, Switzerland with Ben and her three small children in the 1972-1973 academic year. In 1978-1979, they all lived in Paris, France. And in 1988-1989 she and Ben lived in Paris again, just the two of them. They also took shorter sabbaticals to Mainz, Germany and to Long Island, N.Y. During their sabbaticals, she and Ben loved hosting visiting friends and family, acting as their local tour guides. The family’s travels also took them on multiple visits to New Harmony, Indianapolis, and Lake Wawasee, Ind., to spend time with family and friends.

After the children were grown-up, Helen and Ben travelled the world even more frequently, exploring new places and cultures. Their shared love for travel included trips to Egypt, Peru, Cambodia, Thailand, Brazil, Russia, and Turkey, just to name a few. They remained involved in the UCLA community and enjoyed attending programs and events on campus. They also had a shared love for music and enjoyed attending performances at Disney Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and other venues. They became grandparents and enjoyed doting on and being part of their grandchildren’s lives.

Helen had a sharp wit and was a straight talker. Until her last days, she continued to make witty remarks that made everyone laugh. Helen enjoyed sharing her family history and keeping their memories alive. She held her brothers, their wives and families, extended family, childhood friends from New Harmony, and all the friends she made through her life near and dear to her heart.

Helen is survived by her loving children Julie Kirchberg (her husband Jim), Karla MacCary (her husband Toby), and Chuck Nefkens (his wife Jill), in addition to her grandchildren Tyler and Millie Kirchberg, and Kate and Julia MacCary. Her sister-in-law Jos Nefkens lives in Utrecht, The Netherlands. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Bernard Marie Karel Nefkens, her brothers George and Ernie Rapp and their spouses Peggy and Margaret Rapp, and her sisters-in-law Riet and Anny Nefkens.

Helen will be deeply missed and fondly remembered by her family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the UCLA Faculty Women’s Club Scholarship Fund. UCLA FWC Scholarship Fund .