Helen Williams Landes was received into the arms of her savior on January 12, 2021. She was born on November 30, 1926, to Walter Emmett and Charline Person Williams. She was raised on a beautiful farm along the banks of the Red River near Garland City, Arkansas. Helen loved this place of her childhood and always considered it her home.
After graduating from Garland City school, Helen attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, before graduating from the University of Arkansas. She married her husband, Rodney, in 1948 following his graduation from the University of Arkansas. Rodney was from Lewisville, just down the road from Garland City, and the two of them would spend the next 59 years together. Helen moved with Rodney to El Dorado in 1950. Here, Helen put down deep roots in the community and in the First Baptist Church, which she called her church home for the rest of her life.
Over the years that followed, Helen was a devoted wife and mother to her three children whose births spanned sixteen years from eldest to youngest. However, she was much more than this. She was instrumental in establishing the Children’s House of Learning, a Montessori school, in El Dorado, and was a founding and long-serving Board member of the South Arkansas Developmental Center for Children and Families. She became a teacher by commuting over several years to Southern Arkansas University (then known as Southern State) to receive her education degree. First, she was a teaching assistant to Glenn Callahan at Yocum Elementary, then she taught at the First Baptist Church Kindergarten for many years.
While teaching full time, Helen also served many worthy causes in her church and in the community. When there was a need, she was there to make a difference. She was integral in starting both the singles ministry and the prayer ministry at First Baptist Church. For her many volunteer efforts, Helen was recognized by the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce in 1995 as one of the “Five Who Care” honorees.
After retiring from teaching, Helen enjoyed a return to the family farm near Garland City. She and Rodney spent countless hours tending to the lovely grove of pecan trees grafted by her father so many years ago. Her later years were spent caring for Rodney, enjoying her grandchildren and great grandchildren and staying active and involved with her church, friends and family. With full hearts, we can truly say that Helen’s long, productive, and faithful life was well-lived, and her kindness and generosity touched many lives and made all those around her better.
Helen is predeceased by her parents, her husband, Rodney R. Landes, Sr., her sister, Martha Williams Murray, and brother-in-law, Thompson B. Murray, Jr. She is survived by her brother, Jack L. Williams of Little Rock, her children, Rodney, Jr. (Linda) of El Dorado, Rosalynn of Baton Rouge, and Roger (Shelley) of El Dorado, as well as four grandchildren (Rodney, III (Jenny) of Edmund, Oklahoma, Lesley Roberts (Stan) of Little Rock, Eli and Emmaline of El Dorado and four great grandchildren (Stewart, Mary Helen, Elli, and Ann Kelley).
A graveside service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, January 18, 2021 at Wilson Cemetery in Lewisville, AR under the direction of Young’s Funeral Directors and with Rev. Jonathan Kelley officiating. Visitation will begin at 1:00 p.m. at the cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to First Baptist Church of El Dorado, Arkansas Baptist Children’s Home, or South Arkansas Developmental Center for Children and Families.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.youngsfuneralhome.com