Helen E. Wilson

December 3, 1920 - July 21, 2019

Helen Eileen Looney Parker Wilson was born to Katherine F. and Timothy Looney on December 3, 1920, in Dulce, New Mexico. Helen was born on her parent’s cattle ranch, located in a trading post area for the Jicarillo Apache Reservation, which led to Helen’s life-long love of the American Southwest. With no schools nearby, Helen, at age three and her sister, Ruth, age five, were sent as boarders to the Loretto Academy in Santa Fe. There they started school in the same class and were thought by many to be twins. In 1929, the family moved to a home in Albuquerque, so the family could live together and the girls could go to local schools. Unfortunately, Helen and Ruth’s father died that same year and their mother returned to her profession of teaching. Katherine often taught on Indian reservations, where she and the girls lived and where the girls developed an appreciation for Indian culture and art. Helen and Ruth also became friends with their classmates, some of whom were later referred to as the “Navajo Code Talkers”. At age fifteen, Helen graduated from high school and enrolled in the University of New Mexico, in Albuquerque, receiving a B.A. in Education, a B.S. in Biology and an M.S. in Biology, with an emphasis in genetics.She also was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, Mortar Board, the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and honorary societies for theater and journalism. In 1940, Helen married engineer, Capt. Ted E. Parker, who was sent with his National Guard 200th Coast Artillery Unit to be advisors at Clark Field, in the Philippines. Although the U.S. was not then at war, the unit was captured when the Philippines fell to the Japanese. Men of the unit became POWs and several years later, Helen learned that Ted was killed in 1944. Helen moved to Columbus, Ohio where she earned a B.S.N. in nursing at the Ohio State University and was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau, Nursing Honor Society. At OSU, she met Henry E. Wilson, Jr., M.D. They married in 1946 and lived in Chicago where their children were born. They later returned to Columbus, where Helen was very active in her community and held leadership and board positions in many organizations, including: the First Congregational Church; the Columbus Museum of Art Women’s Board; the Columbus Symphony Orchestra Women’s Board; the American Red Cross; USO (Columbus and National boards); OSU Women’s Auxiliary; the Crichton Club; P.E.O.; Alpha Chi Omega Alumnae; Mortar Board Alumnae; OSU President’s Club and others. Helen always maintained a lovely home and supported her children’s many activities in Camp Fire, Inc., Columbus School for Girls Mother’s Association and others. In 1994, Helen moved to Boynton Beach, Florida, where she was active in the Pine Tree Village Association, the Church of the Palms, Boynton Beach Congregational Church and PEO. Helen died July 21, 2019, surrounded by her children. She was preceded in death by her parents, Katherine and Timothy Looney and husbands, Ted E. Parker and Henry E. Wilson, Jr., M.D. and her sister, Ruth Jackson. She is survived by her children: Kit Wilson (Bob Black); Katherine Wilson Muth (Ward); and Lesley Wilson Schaab (Karl); grandchildren, Matthew Wilson (Nicole) and their children, Ella and Emily; Brian Black (Jannell) and Charles H.A. Schaab. A private service will be held for the family in Boynton Beach. Friends who wish to make a donation in Helen’s memory are asked to consider the USO, a veteran’s organization, Trust Bridge Hospice, or a charity of their choice.