Helen grew up a farm girl, graduated from Godley High School and played as a guard on the school’s 6 person women’s basketball team.
After high school, Helen married John Veal, a returning World War 2 veteran and Bronze Medal recipient of the US 36th Division on January 15, 1946. Following John’s re-enlistment in the U.S. Army, Helen and John traveled throughout the United States with stints at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Fort Campbell, Kentucky and Fort Dix, New Jersey, eventually settling in Fort Worth, Texas.
Helen worked in a variety of professions including photography, cosmetic sales and insurance claims processing.
She was a longtime member of Trinity Cumberland Presbyterian Church and St. Luke Cumberland Presbyterian Church. She had a passion for travel to the piney woods of East Texas and dancing, often found on the dance floor of the St. Francis Village community. She was a self-taught keyboard player and loved playing her cherished Hammond organ.
Following John’s death in 1994, Helen married Carl McDonald and enjoyed 14 years of dancing and RV travel with Carl until his death in 2009.
Helen was preceded in death by her brother, Gene Forsyth, mom, Delma Forsyth, father N.C. “Bud” Forsyth, and granddaughter, Stefanie Veal.
She is survived by her son, Steven Veal, daughter-in-law, Kathy Tokheim Veal, grandchildren, Brian Christopher Veal, Lindsay Marie Veal and Kelley Veal Liley, great grandchildren, Taylor Anne Veal, Ashlee Marie Cantrell, Avery Mae Liley, Weston Charles Liley, Samantha Fay Mackey, and great-great grandson, Adrian Victor Cantrell-Casillas, and niece Vicky Forsyth.
Memorials are suggested to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home.
