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Note: Helen Louise never remarried or went out after her husband, Hollis died. She was 44 years old when he died. Helen Louise's life was based around her children and grandchildren and church.
She had cancer all thru her body for 3 months. She was in the Hospitol that time period. Her daughter, Joyce and daughter-in-law, Joy stayed with her the whole time. As she got worse, the morphine was increased and she got horribly mean with Joyce and Joy. It was very hard for them to handle it because Helen was a gentle woman. After Helen died, Joyce was trying to deal with her death. Shirley, Helen's oldest daughter, Joyce's sister was very ill and died in the meantime, a month after Helen died. Joyce was planning on taking Shirley in to take care of her but she died before she could.
A Letter written by Helen Louise Mullenix King to her daughter Joyce:
Joyce
Here is a picture of your Mother and your Dad
It's the first and last photograph, together we had.
Do you see the love written, so plainly to see
Of course, maybe that is for me , your Mama to so plainly see.
Setting so proper, in suit, tie, and muscles all hed,
To me, that coat covered his handsome arms like a box with a lid.
I was never aware of his "baby face", do do legs and such,
Cause, my children, all of you, I loved him very much.
A "real " man, a "lover" with a temper of fire
So jealous of me, it filled me with desire.
We didn't have much money, and it was so hard to live, But I guess it was this love for each other that we both had to give.
Hang this picture upon your wall, for your children and grandchildren to see,
Maybe you'll hear one of them say, "he" or "she" has a nose like me.
A wrinkle or two on a forehead, a hairline weeded with age,
Circles under some eyes, maybe a hint of a voice filled with rage.
You, my children, are "fruit of the vine", and you're bound to see it here,
Because, this was what we looked like, the very first year.
You'll all have your stormy times, as we all did, it's true,
Remember there's not any perfection, and you'll find out too.
We didn't have hardly twenty two years
But we had stormy times, and I shed lots of tears.
Without him, I've been lonely, but he left me "all of you".
I've never been without, with this picture brings sweet memories true.
Cherish It! All my Love Mother Helen (Mama Lou) was a sweet gentle woman who loved life and her family. One of her favorite things to do was play the piano and everyone would sing, especially at Christmas. And she could sing!!
She never owned a home, took a vacation, or had plenty of money to spend, but was content with what she had and thanked God for it.
In the years before she died she had moved to a Senior Citizen apartment building where she enjoyed her new friendships and her freedom to have her own place to live. There was happiness for her in those days until she was told of her colon cancer. Before she died she wrote every child and grandchild a letter telling them how important and how loved they were. One Great Lady!!!
She loved to write poems and stories and has quite a collection.
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