Helen Sheridan Compton

February 22, 1952 - July 23, 2025

Helen Sheridan Compton passed away peacefully on July 23, 2025. Born in Akron,

Ohio, to George and Mary Ellen Sheridan (née Pierce) on February 22, 1952. Helen

spent most of her life in Northeast Ohio, where her intelligence, perseverance, and love

for others left a lasting impact.

A proud graduate of Cuyahoga Falls High School, Class of 1970, Helen went on to

attend Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. It was there she met George Michael

Helwagen. Once wed the couple relocated to Kansas and Memphis during George's

military service and welcomed two sons, George and Paul.

After returning to Akron Helen worked alongside her father and served as Vice

President of Sales at Cuyahoga Steel and Wire. It was during this time she met Steve

Carroll whom she later married, and together they welcomed a daughter, Jane (Carroll)

Phillips.

In 1986, Helen experienced a life-changing injury-but true to her spirit, she never let it

stop her. She completed her bachelor's degree in Speech and Language Pathology at

the University of Akron in 1988, then went on to earn her J.D., graduating from the

University of Akron School of Law in 1992.

Helen built a distinguished legal career, working for the Chemical Workers Union, the

Ohio Attorney General's Office, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, Whalen & Compton, and

Roetzel & Andress, where she retired in 2022. Her tenacity and intellect earned her

deep respect in the legal community. Helen was admitted to the practice of law in all

state courts in Ohio, the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio in the Federal Court

system and the United States Supreme Court. One notable achievement early in her

law career Helen was invited to be on the panel that traveled to Washington DC to

present the first draft of the Americans with Disabilities Act to congressional

subcommittee.

It was during her legal career that Helen met the love of her life, G. Fredrick "Fred"

Compton Jr. Together, they became pioneers in the field of education law. Whether in

the courtroom or at the dinner table, their professional and personal lives were deeply

intertwined. They married in Las Vegas on July 28, 2000, and shared a remarkable

partnership filled with mutual respect, love, and adventure. Together with Fred, Helen

had a love of entertaining and hosting renowned dinner parties at their home in Silver

Lake.

Traveling the world was one of their great joys-they made it a priority, hand in hand,

visiting every continent but Antarctica. Now reunited, they are surely together once

again, sipping drinks on a sunlit deck, sailing through eternity.

Helen was preceded in death by her beloved husband Fred, parents George and Mary

Ellen Sheridan and Titus, her service dog, affectionately known as "The Law Dog". She

is survived by her children George (Erin) Helwagen, Paul Helwagen, and Jane (Carroll)

Phillips, and step-daughter Cory (Marty) Bunce; her cousins Brooks Keiser and David

House; and her eleven grandchildren.

A visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 30 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm at Dunn Quigley Funeral Home in

Stow, Ohio (3333 Kent Rd.), followed by a memorial service at 6:30pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to George Frederick Compton,

Jr. and Helen S. Carroll Scholarship at the University of Akron School of Law.

To donate to the Scholarship, make checks payable to The University of Akron

Foundation, then mail to:

The University of Akron School of Law

150 University Ave.

Akron, Ohio 44325-2901

Attention: Development (George Frederick Compton, Jr., and Helen S. Carroll

Scholarship)

To Give Online:

www.uakron.edu/law/giving/

Select: Give a gift

Select: Designate my gift to:

Type: George Frederick Compton, Jr. and Helen S. Carroll Scholarship"

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