Claudette Nolan Brown Helmick, 86, passed away peacefully with her family at her side on February 16, 2026 after a wonderful life. She was the eldest daughter of Claudia Nolan Peterson Brown and Connor Alexander Brown.

She grew up in the close knit community of Ortega and lived there and Ponte Vedra most of her life. She graduated from St. Johns Country Day School and Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill, MA. She met and married the love of her life, Jack Helmick, a Naval aviator. They moved to Gainesville while Jack attended the University of Florida College of Law and returned to Jacksonville, when Jack joined the family business.

Claudette was a loving and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, known to many as “Blossom”, she had a curious and adventurous spirit. She was very athletic and loved tennis and swimming. She was known to dive off her dock near the Timuquana Country Club and swim across the river to the Florida Yacht Club to hang out with her friends. She enjoyed singing and playing the piano. She and Jack loved to travel and visited many interesting places around the world.

Jacksonville was always home to her, but she loved spending time at their mountain retreat in Cashiers, NC where she found great joy with family and friends. She treasured friendships, old and new and had a natural ability to make everyone feel welcome. Above all, she loved her family. She enjoyed hosting holidays and was known for her many “secret” family recipes, especially her beef tenderloin. Claudette was a witty, engaging conversationalist. Any time spent with Grammey was a treat. You never knew where the conversation might go, and she always knew how to make you laugh.

Claudette devoted most of her life to service. She was the President of the St. Luke’s Auxiliary, a member of the Junior League of Jacksonville, and loved volunteering at the Red Cross of North Florida. She enjoyed many years of friendship and community through her memberships at Christ Episcopal Church, the Timuquana Country Club, the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club, and High Hampton.

Claudette was preceded in death by her parents Claudia Nolan Peterson Brown and Connor Alexander Brown and her sister Barret Brown. She is survived by her husband Jack; her sister, Rev. Lila Byrd Brown, her children Marc (Susan) and Allison (Bill); her granddaughters Ashley and Chase; her grandsons Nolan, Zachary (Liz) and Nicholas (Sara); and many nieces, nephews, cousins, great grandchildren, and her dearest friends.

A celebration of life will be held at Palms Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville Beach, FL on Friday March 6, 2026 at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Red Cross, St. Johns Country Day School or Christ Episcopal Church, Ponte Vedra.