Helen B. Locklear

Helen Bell Locklear, age 82, passed away October 31, peacefully and in the presence of her daughters, Linda Rose Locklear and Marti Lynn Dewees after a courageous six month battle with cancer and congestive heart failure. Mrs. Locklear was born and raised in St. Pauls, North Carolina and graduated from Magnolia High School in 1946. She was a 32-year resident of Jacksonville, Florida.

Helen was one of nine children born to the late Furman and Maggie Bell of St. Pauls, NC and was the beloved wife of George Locklear for almost 65 years. Helen will forever be remembered by her devoted brothers James “Buddy” Bell of Pembroke, NC and Ronald “Pete” Bell of St. Pauls, NC, loving sisters Catherine Robinson of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla, Gladys “Toni” VonFecht of Va. Beach, Va, Glennis B. Hunt and Brenda B. Hammonds of St. Pauls, NC, her beloved children Linda Rose Locklear of Valley Center, CA, Diantha Breed Locklear of Aurora, CO, Marion “Marti” Dewees of Jacksonville Beach, Fla and daughter/sons- in-law Elaina Elliott, Michael Almer and James Dewees, by her treasured grandchildren Sean, Ushla, Shea, Aaron, Adrienne, Narcie, Tina, Kimbal and 17 great-grandchildren with countless other family and friends who were blessed to know her. She was preceded in death by her two sons, George Kelly Locklear, Dewayne Locklear, sister Ruby Chavis, and brother Belford Bell.

Helen could be described as a very generous and “sophisticated” lady who loved working in her backyard garden and definitely had a green thumb with her lovely plants and flowers. Her husband George enjoyed a long career in the U.S. Air Force and moved between many duty stations. Helen and their children benefited from the opportunity to live in places like Hawaii, Germany and Italy.

Friends and family are invited to attend a memorial service on the next anniversary of her birth, Sunday January 9, 2011, at 12 pm at Jacksonville Beach, Florida. The family requests any donations be sent to a charity of your choice.

Friends and family are invited to attend a local memorial service that will be held on Saturday, November 20, 2010 at 2:00pm at Lumbee Memorial Gardens in Pembroke, NC at her parent’s grave.