Rea was born February 7, 1922 in Elizabethtown, Indiana to parents Chris Helt Sr. and Martha Eddleman Helt. She attended Scipio School for all twelve years of her primary and secondary education, graduating in 1940. She continued her education at Indiana Business College and earned an Associate's Degree.
Rea married Roy Erwin Jones on April 7, 1946 and they spent 50 years together before he preceded her in death in 1996.
She worked a variety of jobs throughout her life before retiring from GC Murphy's in 1987.
Rea loved to garden and she loved animals, especially dogs. She was a wonderful cook and made the best chocolate chip cookies, potato salad, and pies. She genuinely loved people and she was kind to anyone she crossed paths with. She was known for having a big heart and people loved her in return.
Rea is survived by her daughters, Sharon (John Truhlar) Jones and Ellen (George) Flexman. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Roy; and her siblings, Florine Unrue, Gloriana Wells, and Chris Helt Jr.
A funeral service for Rea will be held Friday, May 21, 2021 at 11 a.m. at Hathaway-Myers Chapel. Burial will follow at Garland Brook Cemetery. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Memorial donations in Rea's name may be made to the Alzheimer's Association of Greater Indiana or Northwest Healthcare.
To leave an online condolence for the family, visit www.Hathaway-Myers.com.
Hathaway-Myers is serving the Jones family.
