Helen Barbara Petzold

Helen “Barbara” Petzold, of Homewood, AL, was born in Columbus, OH on June 17, 1934, to the union of John Presley Fletcher and Helen Mae Hale. She passed away peacefully on April 20, 2023, at Elite Nursing and Rehab Center after an extended illness.

Barbara received her formal education primarily in the St Louis, MO area. She graduated from the University of Houston in Houston, TX and received her Master of Science Degree from Indiana State University in Terre Haute, IN.

Barbara attended the Mountain Brook Presbyterian Church.

Helen “Barbara” Fletcher was united in holy matrimony with James “Jim” Edward Nelson on April 1, 1953, in Houston, TX. Their union was blessed with three children. She later married Robert “Bob” Carl Petzold in IN.

She had worked as a model for Clairol and was later employed at Indiana State University as a Curriculum Counselor. Her greatest success was as a devoted homemaker, mother, and grandmother.

An American Contract Bridge League Life Master, she enjoyed playing bridge, attending her club meetings, studying history, reading, listening to music, tap dancing, collecting antiques, as well as preparing and hosting family holiday meals. She made generous contributions to numerous charitable organizations, particularly to animal welfare and conservation organizations.

She had been a member of the Civil War Roundtable, The Antiquarian Society of Birmingham, the Princess Sehoy Chapter of the DAR of Birmingham, as well as the Birmingham Duplicate Bridge Club.

Barbara Petzold was preceded in death by her father, John P. Fletcher in 1968; her mother, Helen M. Hale Fletcher in 1984; her ex-husband, Jim Nelson in 1992; her husband, Bob Petzold in 2004; her adopted brother, Gerald “Gerry” William (Beans) Fletcher in 2015; and her eldest son, John James Nelson in 2022.

She leaves to cherish her memory son Jeffrey (Karla) Nelson of Fultondale, AL, daughter Celia (David) Plourde of Alabaster, AL, grandsons Matt Nelson and Evan Bomer (fiancée Emily), great-grandson, Skylan, and many more friends and relatives.

Her ashes will be interred at Southern Heritage in Pelham, AL.

In lieu of flowers or memorial contributions, the family requests donations be made to local animal welfare and conservation organizations.

A memorial service will be held at the Mountain Brook Presbyterian Church on Saturday, June 3rd, at 2:00 pm. Cards or acknowledgments may be sent to her daughter, Mrs. Celia Plourde, 2020 Diane Lane, Alabaster, AL 35007.