Helen Clara Ferrell's Obituary
Helen C. Ferrell, 92, of Longview died Sunday, October 20, 2013. A service for Mrs. Ferrell will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, October 25 at Rader Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. David English of First Baptist Church and Dr. Rick Webb of Buckner Westminster Place officiating. A family-only interment service will take place at Rosewood Park Mausoleum following the chapel service. Visitation is 5-7 p.m. Thursday, October 24, at Rader Funeral Home.
Born January 7, 1921, in Georgetown, Texas to Philip and Ruth Carlson, Mrs. Ferrell was a graduate of Georgetown High School and the University of Texas at Austin, where she met her husband of 56 years, Edward Ferrell of Longview. They were married on July 4, 1942. Following his service in the U.S. Army-Air Force during World War II and graduation from the University of Texas Law School, they moved in 1949 to Longview, where Mrs. Ferrell found a calling for church and civic leadership.
A member of First Baptist Church-Longview since 1949, Mrs. Ferrell was a long-time Sunday School teacher and past president of FBC’s chapter of the Woman’s Missionary Union. She also was past president of the Zonta Club, Lion’s Auxiliary, Lawyers Wives Club, Forest Park Junior High PTA, Bramlette Elementary PTA and South Ward Elementary PTA, and Mrs. Ferrell had been honored at the state level as a Lifetime Member of the PTA. She was a Distinguished Life Member of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President’s Club.
Mrs. Ferrell was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and sister Jeannette Spring.
Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Ann and David Ritchie of Enid, Oklahoma; son Dick of Dallas; and son John of Longview; five grandchildren, Christy Ritchie of Phoenix, Arizona, Drew Ritchie and wife Heidi of Enid, Oklahoma, Lisa Ritchie Dionisio and husband Mike of Norman, Oklahoma, Alek Ferrell of Oakland, California, and Jennifer Ferrell of Longview; four great-grandchildren, Ethan and Zachary Ritchie, and Nick and Rachel Dionisio; and sister Waldine Pokorny of Austin, Texas.
Pallbearers will be Bruce Pokorny, Brent Pokorny, Drew Ritchie, Mike Dionisio, Billy Rogers and Bobby Rogers.
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