Helen was born on January 6, 1931 in Memphis, Tennessee to Rudolph and Florence Blakey. A devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, she is survived by four of her five children: Michael Vargo, Jo-Ellen (Bill) Qualls, Barbara Gilmer and Margaret (Jim) Lewis; six grandchildren: Jennifer Qualls, Joseph (Janna) Qualls, Laurel Gilmer, Emily (Britain) Meithe, Hope (Jamie) Tudor and Rachel Lewis, two great-grandchildren, Sami Qualls and Amelia Qualls, as well as three sisters and numerous nieces and nephews.
Helen was active for many years at Beverly Hills Baptist Church and served many roles there. She taught Sunday school, assisted with Vacation Bible School and single-handedly cooked Wednesday night suppers, often providing meals to 75 to 100 people in one night. She was a gifted cook and liked nothing better than preparing delicious meals and treats for her family and friends. When Beverly Hills merged with Cherokee Baptist, she continued her service there by assisting with Vacation Bible School, providing school supplies for children in need, participating in Operation Christmas Child and donating food for holiday baskets. She had been attending Cherry Road Baptist for the last two years where she continued to serve.
She greatly enjoyed the fellowship of her Sunday School friends and other members of the congregation.
Helen is preceded in death by her parents, husbands (Joe Vargo and Walter Warf), three siblings and her oldest son, Steve Vargo.
Visitation will be held at Cherry Road Baptist Church on Saturday, January 11, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. followed by a celebration of Helen’s life at 11:30 a.m. A private graveside service will be held at Forest Hill Cemetery Midtown.
The family requests that memorials be made to Cherry Road Baptist Church or to a charity of the donor’s choosing.
