In the early evening of February 29, the Lord our father called home one of his good and faithful servants, Alice Helen Carter. To those who knew and loved her the best, she went by the name of Helen. In the 98 years that she was blessed to walk this earth, there were many of us who were able to call her mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, auntie, and friend. When she arrives at the golden gates, she will be welcomed by her mother, Celie Carter; brother, Ed Carter and sister-in-love, Mattie Carter, sister, Addie Bea McCree and her sons, Adrian Bell, Garland Bell and Percy Spruil.

Helen departs this earth and leaves behind her daughter, Marland Sabree; grandsons, Byron (Ashley) Sabree and Robert (Rebecca) Sabree; granddaughters, Lisa Roseman and Vardrey Spruil Williams; great-grandchildren, Gabriella, AJ and Alexis and a host of loving nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends.

Helen began her life journey on February 14, 1922, in rural Mississippi. In 1940, she joined her sister, Addie Bea, in Ohio, where she built what would be the foundation of her life for the next 80 years. Helen was a hard worker and a loyal friend. She was known for 3 things above all else, her love for the Lord, her dedication to her family and her home cooking. Any weary soul would always be welcome in her home; where a hot meal that was large enough to feed a small army was always there for any who were hungry. She was a 50+ year member of New Trinity Church in Akron, Ohio, where she volunteered for countless summer bible schools, bake sales, revivals and Sunday school sessions.

Although Helen had to endure the pain of losing 3 of her 4 children over the years, she never lost her faith in the Lord nor her love for her family. Nothing gave Helen more pleasure than gathering her family together over food. Whether that be in the summer for a BBQ with all the trimmings and home-made ice cream, or on Thanksgiving; where there always seemed to be enough of that soul-nourishing food for anyone who came.

For those of us who are left to mourn her passing, we will miss her warm hugs and loving smile. We will miss the rolls that never required butter, the cheesecake that was always creamy, the pots of greens with ham hocks and the cookies on Christmas.

In her final days and weeks as her health was fading, many family members including Marsheba Bond, Chelsea Bond, Gloria Garden, Neil Giles, Pastor Adam Giles, Greg Jones, Peggy Patterson, Francine Terry and Loretha Tolbert stepped in to help support Marland and her sons. They vigilantly watched over Helen and provided meals for her while Marland’s own health issues prevented her from being able to continue caring for Helen as she has been for these last years. There are no words for the blessing that these people have been, and the blessing of the countless phone calls, well wishes, and prayers that have come during these difficult times.