The floors were covered with thick white carpet. When she flung the doors open wide, visitors galore came in wearing shoes. Soon the thick white carpet was dirty and warn. She bought some used furniture. Fleta took Grandma Powell’s rocker up. Clayton’s live-in took all the stuff she could. Fleta was just allowing it. When she said she was taking the ceiling fans…Helen said whoa!
Helen painted the walls a light color. She put up sheer curtains that let in the light. She was able to pry open a few windows. Daddy had hardwood floors in the house. By her lonesome she ripped the up the dirty white carpet, rented a huge sander and redid the floors. With shiny hardwood floors, it started to look like a home again.
She put a porch swing back on the front porch. The attic was so full of red wasps it was dangerous in the summer. Some nests in the attic were the size of dishpans. Helen used wasp bombs and other killers. It took years but finally they’re gone. The old house started to leak, but she invested her Biden money in a new tin roof. She could only afford to do the main house, but this year she was able to roof the back porch. She got help by begging our brother Gilbert, Kelly Poor, owner George Aday, Hannah’s friend Eliseo, Greg Aday, Willis Powell, and even a few strangers. She saved the old house and even made it beautiful and her own. She had pictures on the wall of those she loved and even Grandma Powell’s and Grandma Gaddy’s Jesus pictures.
She helped many while living in the old house. George Aday and his daughter lived down the road in 2014. She became a Granny to Em. She hauled her where she needed to go and kept watch while George couldn’t keeping Emily safe. Once she helped throw Em a birthday party near Branson for Emily and her buddies. Helen let them do many fun things but when it got really late she slept barring the door so they could not go out of the room.
Helen wanted young folks to have a good time. She took Robert and Hannah swimming to the creek and to the pool at Berryville. She hauled them to school sports events often waiting in the car til the games were over.
She did so much for so many. She was usually broke as she spent every penny every month. She picked up hitchhikers. Took one old drunk all the way to Fayetteville. I begged her to please stop. It was dangerous.
She came to AR with a red convertible Corvette but Fleta had goats who wanted to climb on it. She gave it to her daughter and drove an old Jeep. She used it like a truck. Finally it popped and her kids got her an older pt cruiser. When she drove the music was blaring. She went to AZ several times ti visit. She drove straight through like a long haul trucker.
She drank wine some evenings and slept like a baby. My sister was a one and only. She studied a Schofield Bible. She loved the word and tried to live by the Lord’s teachings. She often quoted the verses in Micah to me … do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly. She petitioned Coin Church to put up a blessing box. Brother Jerry did and she filled it over and over. It sat out in the country but she’d post on Green Forest News and Views that it was full. Soon the food was taken. She worried about folks being hungry. We grew up hungry. Never enough to go around.
She made baby quilts for so many little ones, not just her family, but all of the nieces and nephews too. She made adult quilts. She wore out her sewing machine.
She helped the sick. She came to the aid of the dying—Sister Patsy, Tony Poor, Brother Gilbert, Sarah powell…so many felt her care.
She loved the Green Forest Library and enlisted support for them from businesses in Green Forest. She could be bossy when she had a mission because her eye was on the end goal.
She loved entertaining. She had our cousins stay days with her and tried to make their stay perfect. She even entertained our Cousin Wayne Powell from Cambridgeshire, England at mine and Fleta’s request. I left to come home and Wayne hinted he wanted to stay overnight. That was going a little too far for Helen. He had to return to his motel room.
Helen was a seamstress. She fixed things. She altered, hemmed and repaired clothes for Fleta and I. She helped Fleta so much. She moved in with Fleta when she broke her leg. She came to her aid when Fleta called from where she fell. Helen loved nothing better than helping the needy and yet when she was at her needinest, she hid trying to care for herself. The Lord cared in the end and granted her wish to come home to Him.
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