Helen Boothe

Helen Belcher Boothe passed from this life to a much better place on June 25, 2008 at Bluefield Regional. Helen was born April 14, 1914 to Lewis and Paralee Belcher. She was a lifelong resident of Newhall, WV except for the last two years, when she made her home with her daughter in Athens, WV. She married the love of her life in August of 1933. Helen was a wonderful mother, grandmother and friend. She influenced many, many lives through her years of teaching in McDowell County and also through her church life. She believed in leading and teaching by example so she was always kind and helpful and loving to all those around her. She will be greatly missed. Helen obtained her teaching degree later in life but ended up devoting almost thirty years to her career at various schools including, Endwell Elementary, Squire Elementary, Newhall Elementary, and ending at Berwind Elementary in the McDowell County School System. To this day, Helen still had former students coming to see her and thank her for the influence she had on their lives. She helped foster and teach children that have went on to excel in their fields and become physicians, professors, and teachers themselves. She always enjoyed seeing her former students and could remember and reminisce with them clearly about the past. Another big part of Helen?s life was her Christian life. She was involved with the Pocahontas Advent Christian Conference as secretary for 14 years. She was a lifelong member of the Newhall Advent Christian Church where she served many, many years as Sunday School Teacher and Bible Study Director. She also played the piano for the church until physical ailments prevented. She was also quite musically inclined, besides being a wonderful pianist she also sang with, during her early married life, the Boothe Quartet and later and accapella singing group that formed from a quilting club she belonged to call the Peace Makers. Later in her life, due to blindness, this remarkable woman would listen to the songs during rehearsals at her house and memorize them to sing them later, as she could not see to read. She made not only quilts but even after becoming blind and more debilitated by arthritis that she had suffered from for years she crocheted, by feeling stitches, full sized afghans for a large number of people who cherish them and remember the love and effort that went into each one. In addition to her parents, Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Brooks William Boothe; a Sister, Vivian French; and brothers, Joe Belcher, Ira Lee Belcher, and Turner Belcher. Helen is survived by A wonderful daughter, Patricia Harvey of Athens, West Virginia A loving son, Franklin Boothe and precious daughter-in-law, Betty of Brandywine, Maryland Grandchildren, Darlene Thorp and husband, Martin of White Plains, Maryland, Jeff Harvey of Athens, West Virginia, Deborah Harvey of Athens, West Virginia, and Kevin Harvey and wife, Sue of Princeton, West Virginia She also had wonderful great grandchildren that she enjoyed seeing so much; Jimmy Thorp, Jessie Goins, and Chris Adkins And she was blessed the three little great great grandchildren that made her eyes light up whenever they would visit; Jacob Adkins, Faith Adkins, and Tyler Adkins. She is survived by loving sisters, Ruth Goad of Newhall, West Virginia, Ruby Poff of Princeton, West Virginia, Reva Coop of Ft. Pierce, Florida, and Ermadeen Boatwright of St. Petersburg, Florida. She is also survived by special sister-in-law, Marlene Turner Belcher of Ft. Pierce, Florida, and brother-in-law Buford Boothe and wife, Dorothy of Newhall, West Virginia. During her time with her daughter she also developed a special friendship with Florence Jarrett of Athens, West Virginia who helped the family to take care of and watch over her. She will also be missed by several nieces, nephews, and friends. Funeral services for Helen Boothe will be conducted at 11:00am Saturday, June 28, 2008 at Hurst-Scott Funeral Home in Tazewell, Virginia with Orville Harvey, John Webb and Henry Spence officiating. Interment will follow in Maplewood Cemetery in Tazewell, Virginia. Pallbearers will be Bill Goad, Paul Goad, Dave Goad, Jeff Harvey, Kevin Harvey, Bobby Boothe, and Pete Altizer. Honorary pallbearers will be Thomas Carver, and Martin Thorp. Friends may call at Hurst-Scott Funeral Home in Tazewell, Virginia from 6:00pm until 9:00pm Friday evening. If desired, in lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution may be made in Helen's name to the Newhall Advent Christian Church, c/o Ruth Goad, Box 171, Newhall, WV 24866.

Helen Boothe

April 14, 1914 - June 25, 2008