Helen Elliott Gartside

Helen was born on February 24, 1924, in Culbertson, PA. She was the daughter of the late Walter Orr Elliott and Bertha Ankerbrand Elliott.

Helen attended the Culbertson one-room school. She graduated from Chambersburg High School, Class of 1941. She then graduated from Chambersburg Business College. She was a homemaker, banker, and bookkeeper for most of her life, working at Chambersburg Trust Company, Valley National Bank, and then retiring in 1986 from Ryder Supply Company after over 16 years of service.

On August 3, 1947, Helen married the love of her life, Daniel Harrington Gartside, in Waynesboro, PA. They had twenty-six wonderful years together, until Dan died suddenly on July 16, 1973.

Helen took piano lessons at a very early age and became an accomplished pianist and organist. She played the piano and later the organ at her home church, Salem United Methodist Church, for over 70 years. She loved music and taught piano and organ to over 100 students in her home throughout the years. In the 1950’s she was the pianist for the Chambersburg Community Male Chorus, a non-denominational group who sang in various county churches nearly every Sunday evening. She was the pianist/organist for over 50 weddings, gave several piano concerts in her church, and accompanied many soloists, duets, quartets, and choirs during her lifetime. She always desired to use her musical talent to glorify God.

Helen moved to Penn Hall Assisted Living on June 15, 2005. She enjoyed the staff and residents there. She played piano in the dining room almost daily, until she was no longer able. In September, 2011, Helen moved to Penn Hall Nursing Center due to a fall. The family would like to extend special thanks to the loving and talented staff at Penn Hall Assisted Living and Nursing Center. No one could have taken better care of Helen, and she loved you all.

Helen is survived by her only daughter, Beverly Gartside Hatcher, and Beverly’s husband, Franklin R. Hatcher. She is also survived by one sister, Betty E. Seylar; one brother, John W. Elliott; one step-grandson, three step-great grandchildren, three step-great-great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews, all of whom were very dear to her. In addition to her husband and parents, Helen was preceded in death by her two older brothers, Wayne W. Elliott and Glenn O. Elliott, and her younger sister, Martha Jane Elliott.

Helen will be sadly missed by many—family, friends, church members, former piano students, residents and staff of Penn Hall. They will remember her for her kindness, sweet smile, great sense of humor, her servant’s heart, her generous giving, her excellent cooking and baking, and her extraordinary musical talent. Her greatest desires were to serve God and to see all of her family come to know Christ as Savior.

A service to celebrate Helen’s life will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, June 20, at the Chapel at Penn Hall, in the basement of the Nursing Center. Rev. Ronald Cook will officiate. It was Helen’s wish to be cremated. Burial will be private and held at a later date, at Parklawns Memorial Gardens in Chambersburg.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28201-0001.