She was born in Long Island, Kansas to George and Maude Helen Simpson on September 20, 1921. At the age of twelve she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, and remained faithful to Him even through the abandonment of her father at an early age and the death of her mother when Helen was 15 years old. Her grandparents Samuel and Anne Pillsbury and Uncle Percy Pillsbury then raised Helen and her older brother Joe Simpson. She graduated from Long Island High school in May of 1940. She married her high school sweetheart James Melvin Stone near Almena, Kansas on October 1, 1940.
Helen and Melvin spent 9 years farming the family farm on the Nebraska-Kansas state line. They moved to Loveland, Colorado in 1949 with their four young children and opened a grocery store. They also opened the first drive-in diner in Loveland, called The Desire. Their fifth child was born during this time. They moved their family to Colorado Springs, Gilcrest and Greeley throughout the years. After helping with different business ventures with Melvin, Helen became a successful Tupperware sales woman and then a grocery store cashier; which she did for 18 years until she retired in 1978. In their retirement years, Helen and Melvin enjoyed bowling leagues, being active members of the Nazarene church, going to garage sales, and watching their grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow. After losing her husband of 68 years, Melvin on March 1, 2009, she continued to live in their home. She was a breast cancer survivor at the age of 94. She enjoyed playing solitaire, crocheting doilies, baking pies weekly and tending to her rose garden. At the age of 100, she decided to move in with her youngest daughter and son-in-law. She lived there for the next 3½ years until her death.
Helen’s biggest passion was her love, commitment and service to Christ. She was a faithful prayer warrior, even on her deathbed. Her last words were “I want all of my family members and generations to come to know Jesus as their Savior, and to join me in Heaven.” She was a blessing to all that knew her and even people she encountered in her daily life.
Helen is survived by her five children; Jolene (Allen) Meek Yost, Rod (Marilyn) Stone, Daryl (Sue) Stone, Patty (Russ) Schaefer, and Sharon (Steve) Reynolds; 18 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren, 34 great-great grandchildren and 1 great-great-great grandchild, and several nieces and nephews.
A visitation for Helen will be held Saturday, April 5, 2025 from 10:00-11:00 a.m., followed by a funeral service at 11:00 AM, both at First Church of the Nazarene, 2515 W 16th Street, Greeley, Colorado 80634. Helen will be laid to rest at Sunset Memorial Gardens, 3400 W. 28th Street, Greeley, Colorado 80634.
