The sixth of eight children, was born in Coldsprings, Mo Helen F. Slack, 88, of Georgetown, Texas went to be with her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2008. Helen was the loving mother of two daughters, Shirley A. Dyer (Paul) of Arcadia, Calif., and Sharon K. Kirkpatrick (Ron) of Georgetown, Texas, and two stepsons, Don Slack (Jane) of Keizer, Ore., and Malcolm (Nancy) Slack of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. She was the loving grandmother of David Dyer (Linda) and Gregory Kirkpatrick (Juliet), great-grandmother to Nikki Dyer, Jeffrey Dyer and Juliun Kirkpatrick as well as aunt to several nieces and nephews.
Helen, the sixth of eight children, was born on June 11, 1920 in Coldsprings, Mo., to Malinda Della Riley and Thomas Patrick Riley. She was christened as a child in a small Methodist church near Norwood, Mo., and later baptized in the nearby Whetstone River. She married William Clyde Logsdon (Rudy), father of Shirley and Sharon, at the age of 14. Shirley was born when Helen was 17, followed by Sharon seven years later.
During their earlier married life Helen and Rudy were entertainers on a popular radio station in Missouri. They lived throughout the Midwest until they moved to southern California during World War II. Rudy passed away in 1962.
Helen worked as a cashier, bookkeeper and in time became an office manager. She decided to study for her real estate exam and became a real estate associate in 1978. She went on to become a real estate broker and opened her own office. During that time she met and fell in love with Donald J. Slack and they were married in 1973 and had many happy years until his death in 1986.
Helen had dreamed of building her own home and in 1990, at the age of 70, moved 500 miles away to northern California and purchased a lot. With the plans she had drawn up of her dream home, she found a builder and lived in a rental home while overseeing the building of her new home. She became active in the Evangelical Free Church while enjoying her home, new friends and local wildlife. In 2004, at the prompting of her daughters, she sold her home and moved back to southern California. She stayed there until September of this year when she moved to Georgetown, Texas.
Helen loved the Lord and her family. Until the last few days of her life she could be heard saying “God is a good God.” She was very close to her family and was the last surviving sibling. She loved and was extremely close to her brothers and sisters-in-law. The highlight of their get-togethers was to bring their musical instruments and enjoy a good time laughing and singing many of the old gospel tunes. There is truly a “Great Riley Reunion” taking place in Heaven.
Visitation and services were Monday, Dec. 22 at 11 a.m. in Clinkingbeard Chapel, Ava, with burial following in the Brushyknob Cemetery. Services will be conducted by Brother Gary Riley.
In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Alzheimer’s Association.
