Helen Lucille Payne Wilson passed away on Friday, October 7, 2022. Helen was born on January 9, 1925 in Russellville AR. After a tornado destroyed their family home, they moved to Checotah OK then settled on a farm in Porter OK. Helen graduated as valedictorian from Porter High School where she was an outstanding basketball player, then moved to Tulsa where she attended Draughon's Business School winning several awards for her typing and shorthand skills. She worked as an executive secretary at Warren Petroleum then Public Service Company of Oklahoma where she met the love of her life, Alex Raymond Wilson. They were married from April 10, 1949 until his death in December 2016.

Helen spent most of her married life as a devoted stay-at-home mom to their three children. She was active in her children's lives as a Campfire Girl leader, PTA homeroom mom, Vacation Bible School teacher, avid fan at all her children's sporting events, and occasional cafeteria worker at school. As her children got older, she held part time positions as a church secretary, legal secretary, and temporary office work.

After retirement, Helen and Raymond loved traveling by car, making two driving trips to Alaska, as well as numerous other locations. They enjoyed spending time with their many friends in the Studebaker Drivers Club and the Antique Automobile Club at meetings, car meets and annual Halloween party. She also enjoyed making Christmas stockings and duffle bags for children in the foster care system. Later in life she took up quilting, a skill she had learned growing up.

Helen was known for her baking skills, and made the best pie crust, chocolate cake and Italian wedding cake ever!

Helen's joy in later life was her grandchildren. She was present at their school events, sporting events, and Girl and Boy Scout functions. She was always available and on hand to babysit, transport and unapologetically spoil them!

In her final years, Helen adopted Enjoy as her motto. She strove every day to enjoy all that her life was and had been, her family and her new friends at Baptist Village.

Helen is survived by her daughters Kathleen Wilson of Long Beach CA and JoHelen Wilson of Tulsa OK, as well as her grandchildren Travis Wilson (Alisha Garlow) of Chicago IL, Sarah Wilson Kranau (Andrew Rudd) of San Diego CA, and Elena Beene (Darius Shanklin) of Tulsa OK. Additional survivors are her sister-in-law Grace Gamble of Stillwater OK, niece Beckey Forbes (Jack Forbes) of Tulsa OK, and son-in-law Edgar Kranau of Tulsa OK, as well as many other nieces and nephews.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband of 67+ years, her son and daughter-in-law Alex Raymond Wilson, Jr. and Mary Alice Escobedo Wilson, 2 sisters and 2 brothers, sisters- and brothers-in-law, and her parents Alvin Andrew and Pearl Frances Hopper Payne.

Services for Helen will be at 10AM on Thursday, October 13 at Stanley's Funeral Home in Tulsa. Burial will follow at Fort Gibson National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Baptist Village of Broken Arrow or the Food for Kids Program at The Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma.