Helen D. McCullough

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on November 23, 1938, Helen was the daughter of James and Mary Davis. At the age of six, her family moved to Los Angeles, California, as part of the Great Migration, when African American families sought better opportunities by relocating from the South to the North and West.

She was the second oldest of eight children. She is preceded in death by her sister Isabel Davis, brother James Davis Jr., sister Gaydel Edwardes, brother Alfred Davis, her parents, and her loving husband, Dr. Lloyd Maurice McCullough Sr. She is survived by her siblings Wilbert Davis (Valerie Davis), Barbara Blake, and Warren Davis (Bernadette Davis).

In the mid-1960s, Helen earned a degree in Social Work from California State University, Los Angeles. While attending college, she worked for the County of Los Angeles at the School for Girls, where her passion for mentorship and rehabilitation began to take shape. After graduation, she became a Probation Officer for the Los Angeles County Probation Department, where she brought compassion and leadership to her work with youth and families.

During a civil rights meeting in the late 1960s, organized by minority state employees confronting racial injustice in hiring and incarceration practices, Helen met Dr. Lloyd M. McCullough Sr. They were later married in October 1974. Their union was rooted in shared purpose and love. For 41 years, until Lloyd’s passing in June 2016, they traveled the world together and built a life grounded in faith, family, education, and service.

Helen’s public service career continued to rise. She was eventually appointed Assistant Director of the California Department of Corrections, where she led religious and educational programming across the state’s prison system — a remarkable achievement, especially for a Black woman at that time. Her leadership and vision were nationally recognized, and she worked closely with respected figures like Chuck Colson of Prison Fellowship and Bill Glass of Weekend of Champions.

In 1994, Helen chaired the International Conference on Crime Prevention and Rehabilitation through Religion, held in Jerusalem and attended by delegates from more than 27 nations. The conference was a reflection of her deep belief in the power of faith to transform lives.

While committed to public service, Helen was also called to ministry. In the early 1980s, she founded I’m A Woman Ministries, a movement devoted to empowering women through Christ. The organization grew to include chapters throughout Northern California. She co-hosted a weekly call-in radio show on KFIA, appeared on Christian television, and led women’s conferences that drew thousands. I’m A Woman Ministries became the first women’s organization to minister inside a high-security men’s prison in California.

Helen’s ministry expanded further when she served on the Executive Committee of the Billy Graham Crusade, where she chaired the Women’s Committee. In 1995, she was honored with the YWCA Outstanding Women’s Award for Religion. That same year, she retired from state service and continued her work of hosting conferences, teaching, healing, and empowering women throughout the state.

In 1997, just three days before the Promise Keepers Million Man March in Washington, D.C., Helen and her ministry were invited to attend. From the steps of the U.S. Capitol, she gave interviews to radio stations across the country, expressing her full support for the event’s mission. With limited time, she secured corporate sponsors and mobilized her network — a testament to her drive, faith, and leadership.

Helen was a longtime member of Capital Christian Center throughout the 1980s and ’90s, and for more than 20 years, a faithful member of Center of Praise Ministries in Sacramento. She was known as a spiritual mother, mentor, and guide — someone whose wisdom, strength, and prayers shaped generations.

Helen also had a playful spirit and a deep love of travel, especially with her husband. Whether for ministry, family, or the joy of discovery, she was always planning the next journey. Her faith, curiosity, and love of life were evident wherever she went.

She is survived by her daughters, Dietra Fielder (Michael Fielder) and Lerryn McCullough; her bonus sons, Lloyd Maurice McCullough Jr. and Lee Michael McCullough (Dawn McCullough); grandchildren Cameron Smith, Cortne Mitchell, Leann McCullough, Eirene Granville, Mauriana Stallworth, Lailah McCullough, and Markell Stallworth; and great-grandchildren Jerimyah Mitchell, Niamyah Mitchell, Maxwell Milay, and David Soto. She also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews, cousins, extended family, and friends.

Helen was wise, nurturing, and full of conviction. She believed in education, she believed in people, and above all, she believed in the power of God. She didn’t just live — she led. Whether she was fighting for others or challenging them to rise, she did it with love and purpose. Her legacy will live on in every life she touched. She was a calm steady force to be reckoned with.