Helen R. Wigham

AGE: 87

DATE OF BIRTH: December 29, 1926 in Tolbert, Texas

DATE OF DEATH: January 21, 2014 in Amarillo, Texas

Private family services are planned by Memorial Park Funeral Directors.

Helen Ruth Boyd Wigham slipped peacefully into Jesus’ arms to meet her loved ones in heaven. Helen was born December 29, 1926 in Tolbert to James Maurice Boyd and Elizabeth Ann Tomlin Boyd. She was the youngest of seven children. She graduated from Panhandle High School in 1945 and Barnes Business School. Helen worked at Amarillo Air Base before it closed and Westinghouse as a bookkeeper. She married Billy Jack Wigham in Amarillo on August 31, 1947. During their marriage of 46 years they raised 3 children. She loved being a mother and a housewife. When all the children were in school, Helen continued her career as a bookkeeper. In Amarillo she worked for Honeywell and after the family moved to Center, CO, she worked at Center High School and helped Bill on the farm. In 1972, they moved from the farm. Bill worked for many different companies and Helen kept their home and made lots of new friends. These companies sent Bill and Helen to Albuquerque, Houston, Midland, Michigan, Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada and Afsin, Turkey. While they enjoyed the friends they made and the sites the saw, Bill and Helen longed to come home to Texas to be near the children and grandchildren. When they returned to Amarillo, Bill continued working and Helen enjoyed staying home. After Bill passed away in December 1992, Helen lived with their oldest daughter. Helen loved to cook and have company visit. She was the family’s spiritual leader and a true “Southern Belle”. She was the one who taught others the benefits of “please and thank you”. She was kind, fun and always had a smile for everyone. She was a true friend. She will be dearly missed by family and friends.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; a husband, Bill; her brother, Claude Boyd, her sisters, Mavoirnee Cone, Preblee Bowsher, Margaret Wadsworth, Dorothea Bowsher, Pauline Tankersley and their spouses; a nephew, Richard Kenneth Cone, Jr. and a niece Norma Jo (nee) Boyd; her In-Laws, Jack H. and Lila Terry Wigham, Col.(Ret)Edgar D. and Juana Jo Bigelow and Biddy Wigham.

Helen is survived by her children, Rebecca Conklin of Amarillo, Chad Wigham of Center, CO, and Shelley Wigham of New Braunfels; her grandchildren, Shane McElroy and wife Shannon of New Braunfels, Joshua Conklin and wife Cora of Dallas, and Jeremy McElroy of San Antonio; 5 great-grandchildren, Shayna, Megan, Cory, Kylie, Vyktor and Devyn; her nephews and nieces, Don Boyd, Danette Baty, Nancy Bowsher, Roger Wadsworth, Beth Mix, Paula Skyvara, Deborah Beavers, Sarah Bergman, Linda Bowsher, Jimmy Bowsher, Jimmy Karl Bigelow, David Hugh Bigelow and Teresa Jane Telles.

The family wishes to thank her loyal childhood friends Ruthe, Jody, Joyce and Jimmy Jo; her kind and loving caregivers at the Craig Windflower Memory Care Unit and Hospice Care of the Southwest.

MEMORIALS: In lieu of flowers, memorials in her name to a favorite charity.