Helen O. Holman

Helen Ora Holman was born Feb. 9, 1924, in Vandalia. She departed this life April 21, 2018, in Vandalia. She was the daughter of the late Albert Lee Holman and Mary Elizabeth Holman.

Helen attended the Lincoln School in Vandalia and was the last and only graduate from the class of 1943 before Lincoln School closed. After graduation with her determined spirit she moved to Chicago, Ill. She had no family and only one friend who had gone before her. Her love for fashion from her pageboy haircut down to the jewelry down to the heels on her feet.

Helen loved to cook and bake. She was a waitress in Chicago and Vandalia. She worked at Harbison-Walker from June 3, 1977-June 30, 1987, until her retirement at the age of 62. Helen did not have any biological children however, she treated her nieces and nephews as if they were her own often babysitting them. She was the primary care giver for her mother for many years until her passing.

She accepted Christ at an early age. She was a long-time member of Second Christian Church. She served as a Secretary until her health failed. She also sang in the choir.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters, and four brothers. She leaves to mourn in her passing a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Funeral services will be Friday at 1 p.m., at the Second Christian Church in Vandalia with Pastor Melvin McCaleb officiating.

Serving as master of ceremony will be the Rev. John Harris.

The church choir will sing “Pass Me Not”, “Take Me to The King”.

Eulogy will be given by Pastor Melvin McCaleb.

Interment will be in Vandalia Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Clarence Holman II, Robert Holman, Larry Liddell, Charles Owens, Larry Wheeler, and William Wheeler. Honorary pallbearers will be Dempsey Dixon, Artie Wiser, Leo Salmon, Ronnie Greene, Matthew Salmon, and Roger Chatman.