Helga Careskey

Helga Careskey (née Breisacher)—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, great-aunt, and friend—passed away peacefully on August 3, 2025, surrounded by her devoted children, Wendy and Jeff. She was 100 years old.

Helga’s was an extraordinary life; the embodiment of the American Dream.

She was born May 20, 1925, in the picturesque town of Breisach am Rhein, Germany, to Hedwig Bildstein and Bertold Breisacher. Nestled along the Rhine River at the edge of the Black Forest, Breisach had been home to her family for centuries, with roots tracing back to the 1600s. Helga’s early childhood was filled with warmth and community; her family owned a thriving retail business and lived in harmony alongside neighbors of all faiths.

That harmony was shattered in the 1930s, as antisemitism spread and Hitler rose to power. At just 13 years old, Helga boarded the Queen Mary with her parents and brother, Walter, leaving Germany only ten days before Kristallnacht, with just $12 to their name.

The family settled in Indianapolis, Indiana, where Helga faced the daunting challenge of starting over. She spoke no English and returned to elementary school to learn the language, working afternoons to help support her family. The Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation became a cornerstone of their new life, offering the welcome and belonging they had lost in Europe.

At 21, Helga married the love of her life, Joseph N. Careskey, a World War II veteran. Together, they built a life rooted in love, hard work, laughter, adventure, and generosity. Helga forged a trailblazing career as one of Indianapolis’s top realtors at a time when few women worked outside the home, first with Jerry Tarshes and later with F.C. Tucker Company, where she remained until retiring, at the remarkable age of 80.

Retirement didn’t slow her down. Moving to Lake Worth, Florida, Helga embraced a vibrant new chapter filled with travel, cruises, water aerobics, and countless friendships.

A dedicated Holocaust educator, Helga spoke to individuals and groups throughout her life, preserving her testimony in museums worldwide, including the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. She recorded her story for Steven Spielberg’s Shoah Foundation, and at age 99, she even went viral on TikTok, inspiring a new generation with her resilience and courage (1 million views and counting).

Helga leaves behind a legacy of strength, generosity, and moral conviction—of standing up to hatred, giving back to her community, and living each day with joy and determination.

She is survived by her loving children, Jeff (Wendye) Careskey and Wendy (Andrew) Metter; and her cherished grandchildren Rob, Rachel (Eric), and Jordan.

Those of you who wish to further honor the memory of Helga may best do so by means of a contribution to Hadassah or The Parkinson's Foundation.

Graveside services will be held at 10 AM on Sunday, August 17, 2025, at Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation North Cemetery in Westfield, Indiana.

Arrangements entrusted to Aaron-Ruben-Nelson Funeral Home.