Joan E. Helton

JOAN WAS THE BELOVED DAUGHTER OF EDWIN A. WAUGH AND LUCY FLANAGAN. ON JUNE 27, 1953, SHE MARRIED ROLAND HELTON IN ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA. THEIR UNION WAS ONE OF ENDURING LOVE AND PARTNERSHIP UNTIL ROLAND’S PASSING IN 2001. A DEVOTED MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER, JOAN LEAVES BEHIND A LEGACY OF FAMILY AND FAITH. SHE WAS THE CHERISHED MOTHER OF CARLA EJZE, DONNA FINLEY, WESLEY HELTON, JEFFERY HELTON, AND CRAIG HELTON. HER LOVE EXTENDED DEEPLY TO HER GRANDCHILDREN: SEAN INLEY,JENNIFER FINLEY, JONATHAN HELTON, JOSHUA HAMMOND,STEPHANIE HAMMOND, MARIE HELTON, AND ABIGAIL ELKINS.

KNOWN AFFECTIONATELY AS “MAMA BEAR,” JOAN’S NURTURING SPIRIT AND STEADFAST PRESENCE WERE A SOURCE OF STRENGTH FOR THOSE AROUND HER. JOAN’S LIFE WAS MARKED BY UNWAVERING DEVOTION TO THEIR CATHOLIC FAITH. JOAN DEDICATED MANY YEARS TO THE CHURCH COMMUNITY, FINDING PURPOSE AND SOLACE IN SERVICE AND PRAYER. JOAN'S LONG LIFE SPANNED GENERATIONS OF CHANGE AND GROWTH. THROUGH IT ALL, SHE REMAINED A CONSTANT SOURCE OF WARMTH AND RESILIENCE FOR HER FAMILY AND THOSE WHO KNEW THEM. MAY HER MEMORY BRING COMFORT TO ALL WHO LOVED HER.