Helen Anne Gillespie

Helen Anne (Caldwell) Gillespie, of Maidens, VA, passed away on December 30, 2022 after a prolonged illness. Helen is predeceased by her parents, John and Elizabeth Caldwell, older brother Robert Caldwell, and sister-in-law Amy Caldwell of Corpus Christi, Texas. She is survived by: brother Pat and Gina Caldwell, of Newport, TN; brother Bart Caldwell of Corpus Christi; sister-in-law Angie Caldwell of Corpus Christi; son Sean and Jennifer Gillespie of Chesapeake, VA; daughter Elizabeth and Andre Seale of Natick, MA; son Kevin Gillespie and Irene Lutts of Quincy, MA; and seven adoring grandchildren: Miryam, Jack, Meaghan, Audrey, Kevin, Iain and Sage. Helen is also survived by her loving partner Evan Chesterman of Richmond, VA.

Helen was a graduate of Flour Bluff High School in Corpus Christi, Texas. She enlisted in the Navy in 1967, and worked at the Naval Hospital in Newport, RI. After her Naval service, she attended nursing school at HACC and began her career as an emergency room nurse in Harrisburg, PA. Helen went on to earn her BSN from Millersville University, and MA from Saint Francis University. Helen’s children are extremely proud of her academic achievements and her service to country and community.

Helen on Wheels (as she was known by her kids) was truly a force of nature. Her seemingly unlimited energy drove her professional life, but also her personal life. She loved to travel and take her children and grandchildren on adventures all over the country. Her unbridled optimism showed her the up-side of everything while her sheer force of will gave her the gumption to make that up-side happen. Anyone who ever left her a voicemail would hear at the end of her greeting: Make it a great day! Helen didn’t just have a great and fulfilling life. She MADE her life what she wanted it to be, always with a smile on her face (even when it was tough to do), endless laughs, and boundless love for her family. She truly was a positive influence, and a role model to everyone around her.

Visiting hours will be held at Woody Funeral Home – Parham in Richmond, VA on Friday, January 13, 2023 from 3-6 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the New England Historic Genealogical Society (https://www.americanancestors.org/) in Helen’s honor.