Helen Miller Godwin, 92, passed away peacefully on September 15, 2021 at Beacon Place after several years of declining health. She was born on November 20th, the second youngest of six children to Coleman and Stella Pfaff Miller in Forsyth County.
Helen graduated from Women’s College in 1951 with a degree in Home Economics Education. She began her teaching career in eastern North Carolina where she met her future husband, Stanley Godwin. They were married on June 20th 1952 in the Totem Club on Japonski Island, Sitka, Alaska. Both were federal employees at Mt. Edgecumbe High School for native students in the Alaskan Territory. They returned to North Carolina in 1956 and continued their careers as high school teachers.
She loved being a teacher and taught for over 38 years, mainly at Northwest Guilford High School. She was proud of the fact that she and her husband were part of the original faculty who came over from Colfax School when the new high school opened. One of her favorite “hobbies” was to enter her students and family members in various cooking contests. Many family members were unexpectedly surprised to find themselves a finalist in a cooking competition they had never heard of or entered. She loved the competition of contests and won many trips and prizes over the years.
After retiring in 1987, Helen began taking many of her long awaited trips. She enjoyed traveling with Elderhostel, the Smithsonian and Stanford University. She also completed the course to become a travel agent so she could better plan her own trips. She would often say that she was amazed at all the places “a little country girl from Forsyth County” was able to go and see.
Helen loved learning how to use the computer. She was an avid devotee of several political websites. She was a lifelong Democrat and would happily discuss politics with you upon your request. She also joined Toastmasters and had a lot of fun creating and giving talks sharing her adventures and philosophy of life. She couldn’t tell jokes very well, but printed off hundreds of pages of jokes to share with family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband Stanley, her son Stanley Godwin, a grandson Landon Godwin and her four sisters and a brother. She is survived by her daughter, Margie Godwin; grandson Coleman Godwin (his wife, Ashley) and numerous nieces and nephews. There will be a Celebration of Life Party on November 20th (her 93rd birthday) at the home place on the farm that she loved in Forsyth County. Memorial contributions can be made to the First Moravian Church at 304 S. Elam Ave Greensboro, NC 27403 or the charity of your choice. Giving her the last word here, these are her usual parting words to her visitors “Be good to yourself and now go have some FUN!”
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