Lucy Jacqueline Helms, age 93, of Coalgate, OK passed away August 27, 2017. She was born February 5, 1924 to M.L. Jack and Lester Tomlin Roark in the Mowdy Community. She was the last remaining of the six Roark sisters. Her early education began at the two-room Mowdy School, where her parents had gone to school in grades 1-8. Jacqueline later returned to teach there for nine years. She rode the school bus to attend Coalgate High School, graduating in 1941. Next, she attended East Central University where she graduated with a B.S. Degree and later received a Master's Degree in Home Economics. Her experience as a teacher included all levels of elementary education from primary through the 8th grade. Her teaching career began in Clayton, OK, she then moved on to teach 20 years in the rural schools of Pine, Mowdy, and Lone Star in Coal County, and 20 years in the Coalgate City School, retiring in 1985. Jacqueline was a member of the Coal County Teacher's Association, Oklahoma Education Association, and numerous other educational associations; she was chosen as the Coal County Teacher of the Year in 1980. After retirement Jacqueline organized the Coal County Retired Educators Association which among other things hosted the teacher appreciation program, "Apple for a Teacher," of which she was very proud. She was an active member of the Coalgate Church of Christ. Jacqueline served as a Manor Volunteer at the Ruth Wilson Hurley Manor for many years, remaining involved even after she became a resident. She was a 4-H Club leader in Coal County for 30 years, and in 1981 was a founding member of the After 5 Extension Homemakers Club, never missing a meeting until her health failed in the last few years. In 2002, Jacqueline was awarded the top state award for Homemakers—"State Heart of OHCE." She spent many years of dedicated service to the Coal County Fair Board, serving as the treasurer until her death. Jacqueline married Stanley Helms, June 18, 1949, also a teacher in Coal County. They had two children, Brenda and Phillip. Jacqueline loved to sew and worked all year long on her sewing entries for the Coal County Fair; which she was still instructing about until her final day. Her greatest joy was helping raise her granddaughter, Katie; and later she loved visits from her great-grandson Kale, watching him play sports, and rechecking all of his school papers. Jacqueline was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Stanley Helms; her daughter, Brenda Helms; five sisters, Pauline Henderson, Rowena Henderson, Velma Love, Helen Wiemers, and Peggy Summers and their spouses. She is survived by her son Phillip Helms, and wife Kay of Coalgate, OK; granddaughter Katie Brister, and husband Brad of Kenefic, OK; granddaughter Constance Hansel, and husband Dwight of Vancouver, WA; great-grandchildren Kale, Nolan, and Bryce Brister, Madison, Jacob, Travyn, Kaylen, and Julianne Hansel; special friends Nelda Ferrero and Frances Brown; and a host of friends and hundreds of students, all of whom were positively affected by her influence.

The pallbearers will include Rusty Price, Gary Guinn, Bill Smith, James Elkins, George Haney, James Carl Prince, Larry McCollum, Jim Cox, Marvin Hampton, and Joe Childers. The family will be receiving guests on Tuesday, August 29, 2017 from 6-8 p.m. at Brown's Funeral Home, Coalgate, OK. Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, August 30, 2017 at the Coalgate Church of Christ. Internment will be at the Coalgate Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Ruth Wilson Hurley Manor Volunteers.