Helen G. Smith

Helen Geraldine Persons Smith, 85, of Moorefield, Ohio, passed away on Sunday, February 16, 2025, at Divine Rehabilitation and Nursing at Schoenbrunn surrounded by her loved ones. She was born on April 24, 1939, in Moorefield, Ohio, the daughter of the late Thomas M. and Mary D. Robison Persons. 

She graduated from Freeport High School and attended Belmont College. Helen married Willard L. Smith the love her life on August 18, 1956, in Brookville, Indiana. They were married 68 years. Helen was a housekeeping supervisor at Salt Fork State Park and then the head cook at Freeport Elementary School and then at Jewett-Scio Elementary School. She also graduated as an STNA as part of the first class at Harrison Community Hospital and worked at the Harrison County Home. After Helen retired, she was a volunteer Foster Grandparent at various Elementary Schools, which she loved. Helen was a woman of faith. She began her spiritual journey when she was baptized in the Worldwide Church of God. Helen, was a member of the Philadelphia Church of God. She loved sports, playing softball with her children and grandchildren, and was an avid Pittsburgh Steelers Fan!

She was preceded in death in addition to her parents by her husband Willard “Bill”, two sons, Willard A. Smith and Jeffrey L. Smith I; a daughter, Annette Y. Vale; two grandsons, Thomas “T.J.” Johnson and Jeffrey L. Smith II; son-in-law, Russell Bowersock, Sr.; two brothers Kenneth Persons and Frank Persons, sister and brother in-law Janette and Ed Dean; sister Brenda Persons, five brothers-in-law, Jack, Joe, Denzel, Donald and Bradley Smith; and two sisters-in-law, Genevieve “Honey” Sumuga and Kathleen Cruse-Smith.

Helen is survived by a son, Loyd Smith of New Philadelphia, Ohio; three daughters, Penny Bowersock of Moorefield, Ohio, Ruth Smith of Moorefield, Ohio and Rebecca (Jonathan) White of Moorefield, Ohio; a son-in-law, Guy Vale of Deersville, Ohio; 15 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; five sisters-in-laws, Sinda Persons of Canton, Ohio, Carol Persons of Venice, Florida, Margaret Caldwell of Newcomerstown, Ohio, Mary Ann (Bobby) Harshey of Uhrichsville, Ohio, and Barbara Foster (companion Todd Sowards) of Sherrodsville; four brothers-in-law, Bernard (Nancy) Smith of Toledo, Ohio, Harold (Kathy) Smith of Uhrichsville, Ohio, and Harlen (Linda) Smith of Bowerston, Ohio, Ralph (Nancy) Carpenter of Spencer, West Virginia; Ohio; and many nieces and nephews. 

Visitation will be held on Friday, February 21, 2025, from 11:00a.m. until the time of the funeral service at 2:00p.m. with Minister Calvin Culpepper officiating at Clark-Kirkland-Barr Funeral Home in Cadiz, Ohio. Burial will follow at Moorefield Cemetery. 

The memorial guestbook may be signed at clark-kirkland-barr.com.