Helen Sartwelle Buckley

HELEN SARTWELLE BUCKLEY, age 92, peacefully went to our heavenly Father early on Monday morning, the 5th of January 2015, at her home. She was born on the 14th of October 1922, in Palacios, Texas. She was the second of seven children born to James Williams Sartwelle and Lura Charlotte Arnold.

Helen and her family moved to Houston in 1924. She attended and was graduated from San Jacinto High School in 1940. Helen entered Rice Institute in Houston where she was graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in February, 1944. Helen worked in the family business (Port City Companies) until she married her husband and partner for life, Jack Buckley, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas on the 18th of January 1952. They made their home in Houston and had four children. Helen was a loving wife, homemaker, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She is affectionately called “DeeDaw” by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Helen was a good and faithful servant to our Lord. She became a member of Ascension Church in 1963, when it was just a mission church. She put her life into the church. Helen served on the Alter Guild. She was very active in Christian education and helped teach the bible study for years. She loved the church and all of her friends. She shared the Lord’s good news with those who would listen.

Helen and Jack provided both energy and resources to many different organizations but especially Cal Farley Boys Ranch, Ascension Episcopal Church, and Rice University. They were supporters of Rice Athletics especially Rice Baseball as well as the Sheppard School of Music. They provided scholarships at Rice University to engineering students and students involved in the baseball athletics program. They also provided scholarships for theological students at Dallas Theological Seminary and Trinity Theological Seminary.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; brothers - James Dinsmore Sartwelle, William Henry Sartwelle, and Robert Arnold Sartwelle; sisters - Caroline Olivia “Kay” Buffaloe and Margaret Lura DeBardeleben; and her loving husband of 55 years, Jack Buckley. Helen is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth Ann Buckley Till of Houston, Texas; son, James Sartwelle Buckley and daughter-in-law, Deborah Murphy of Houston, Texas; son, Dr. Steven Boyd Buckley and daughter-in-law, Siobhain Anders of San Antonio, Texas; son, William Henry Buckley of Houston, Texas; sister, Mary Jane “May” Willis of Sugar Land, Texas; sister-in-law, Carol Brown of Fort Wayne, Indiana; grandchildren - Catherine Elizabeth David and husband, Christopher, Jennifer Jacquelyn Henry and husband, Jason, Clay Christopher Till and wife, Chena, Leslie Elizabeth Guerra, Diandra Jaclen Anders Buckley, Jackson Sartwelle Buckley, and Shea Ireland Buckley; and great-grandchildren Colten William Henry, Micayla Jacquelyn Henry, Luke Chester Henry, Jenson Neal Henry, Maria Isabel David, Claire Elizabeth David, and a future great-grandchild to be born about June, 2015.

Remembering her will always bring a smile.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from six until eight o’clock in the evening on Friday, the 9th of January, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

The memorial service is to be conducted at ten o’clock in the morning on Saturday, the 10th of January, at Ascension Episcopal Church, 2525 Seagler Road in Houston. Immediately following all are invited to greet the family during a reception.

Prior to the service the family will have gathered for a private interment at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorials may be made to the Dallas Theological Seminary, P.O. Box 612626, Dallas, TX 75261-2626; the Trinity Theological Seminary, P.O. Box 717, Newburgh, IN 47629-0717; Cal Farley Boys Ranch, P.O. Box 1890, Amarillo, Texas 79174-0001; Ascension Episcopal Church, or to the charity of one’s choice.