Helen Rose Aycock Clyde

Helen Rose Aycock Clyde, age 99, of El Dorado, Arkansas, peacefully passed away on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, in her home from ovarian cancer. She was born on January 1, 1926, in El Dorado, the daughter of the late Robert Lee Aycock and Olive Clark Aycock.

She attended Hugh Goodwin Elementary before moving to Du Quoin, Illinois, where she graduated from high school. She graduated from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, with an Associate’s Degree and graduated from Northwestern University in 1947 with a Bachelor of Science with Honors in psychology. She served as personnel director for Charles A. Stephens and Co. in Chicago, where she met her husband. She married Andrew Jackson Clyde on June 10, 1954.

In 1966, the family moved back to El Dorado, and while raising 3 children, she was always passionate and involved in many philanthropic endeavors. She was active in the Women of the Church at First Presbyterian, the South Arkansas Arts Center, the South Arkansas Symphony, Women of the Arts, Pieiran Club, the United Way, and Campfire Girls. She was an avid golfer, and she and her mother are the only Mother-Daughter to have won the Terry Cup at the El Dorado Golf and Country Club. She loved going to cooking classes and trying out all kinds of gourmet dishes for her family and opening her home to entertaining. Helen was a prolific reader, a master at crossword puzzles, and bird-watching enthusiast. With her big smile and signature red lipstick, Helen told stories of horseback riding in Louisiana at Hancock Ranch as a girl and Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans. She traveled near and far for all the bridge tournaments, achieving the highest level of the Grand Life Master bridge player. She took many trips to Little Rock and Washington, DC for Women in the Arts. Many priceless memories were made on family trips to Colorado in the summers with the Garisons. She and Andy also traveled to his beloved Scotland and cruised to Australia and New Zealand, and with tour groups to China, Croatia, and Russia to see the world. After Andy passed in 2006, Helen lunched, played bridge, and traveled with her group of ladies, maybe just to the Club or to shop at Lois Jeans in Magnolia, but lived a full life.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents and loving husband. She is survived by her three children, daughter, Dr. Merlise Aycock Clyde (Dr Ed Iversen) and grandchildren, Elise Sophia Iversen and Theadora Olivia Iversen, of Durham, North Carolina; son, Andrew Clyde (Jennifer) of Dallas, Texas and grandchildren, Dr. Madeline Clyde Evelsizer (Dr. Andrew Evelsizer), of Nashville, Tennessee, Andrew Joseph Clyde (Madison) of Dallas, Texas; and daughter, Dr. Elizabeth Clyde Druin (Roy) of Mattoon, Illinois and grandchildren, Lydia Margaret Druin of Livingston, Montana and Ryan Stewart Druin of Magnolia, Arkansas.

Celebration of Life Services will be held at the First Presbyterian Church in El Dorado, Arkansas, on Saturday, July 19th, at 11:00 a.m., with a reception following in Fellowship Hall.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the South Arkansas Arts Center, First Presbyterian Church, and Lifetouch Hospice.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.youngsfuneralhome.com.