Helen O'Conor

Born May 19, 1926 in Sarasota, Fl, she started her career as a trained surgical nurse. While working she persued her degree in education graduating from McNeese State University. After a full career she retired from teaching and traveled to all continents except Australia. She loved to teach school, play piano and sing in church. She was known for speaking life into people and her famous phrase was “You are wonderful”.

She was an avid church member of University United Methodist Church Lake Charles, Louisiana, a member of the Teachers Retirement System of Louisiana and a member of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers.

She is survived by two sons; E.C. Wilder Jr.(Willa) of Lake Charles and John Paul Wilder, one brother Melvin Trawick of Vinton, La and two sisters; Jewel Cooper of Jackson, Ms and Genella Doucet of Taylor, Tx and her loving 4 grandchildren and 8 greatgrandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her husband Rev. Earsley C. Wilder Sr., married on March 29, 1942, and Edward Bliss O’Conor, her parents; Marshall Elmer Trawick and Martha Rosella Johnson Trawick, one brother; Marshall F. Trawick Sr. and three sisters; Eleanor Watson, Evelyn Rankin and Carolyn Fontenot.

A special thank you to Brian C. Wilder, MD and wife Vikki for caring for Helen for the last 15 years as well as Brian being her personal physician for the past 7 years.

Her services will be Monday at 11:00am at Hixson Funeral Home of Lake Charles. Visitation will begin at 9:00am until service. Burial will follow at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery.