Helen Skelton

Helen Enola Rice was born August 13, 1947 to the late JT Rice and Eva Louise Gunter of East Prairie Missouri. Throughout her life she learned and excelled in everything she did starting at 8 when she took care of all her younger siblings while her parents worked in the fields. She cleaned residential homes and nursing homes, managed restaurants, owned and worked fields of tomatoes and many other things until she decided to go to classes to become a certified cosmetologist.

In May 1990 Helen married Stanley Henry Skelton in East Prairie, MO and moved to Sikeston. She started working for Walmart in August 1989 and was a cosmetologist on the side. After 22 years she retired from Walmart in September 2011 for her final and favorite job, to keep 2 of her 7 grandchildren while her daughter worked. In her pastimes she loved cooking and relaxing watching movies and favorite tv shows, keeping the nursery at church and being a vacation bible school teacher.

Helen was of Baptist faith and attended Murray Lane Baptist church in Sikeston for 30 years and started attending Sikeston First Assembly in 2023 to be with her family. Helen was preceded in death by both parents, her husband and 4 brothers Robert, Charles, Roger, and Carl Michael Rice and 1 sister Betty Lou Wheeler, and 1 grandson Patrick Bryan. Survivors include 3 brothers Wendell Rice of Labelle, Fl, LLoyd Rice of Houston, MO and Donald Rice of Daleville, AL and 2 daughters, Cynthia Michelle Norris of Warren, AR, and Lachrista Linsey Bryan of Sikeston, MO and 1 stepdaughter Melissa Skelton of Charleston, MO as well as grandchildren, Tiffany Michelle Hines, John Nicholas Norris, Jeremy David Norris, Alexander Blake Pointer, Emmaleigh Michelle Bryan, Jackson Carter Henry Bryan and 3 great grandchildren Chandler Byrd, Ladainian Carroll, and Khloe Hines.

Helen will always be remembered for her never fading smile and love to talk and care for others.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 17, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. until time of memorial service at 11:00 a.m. at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston, MO with John McHaffie, officiating.

Burial will follow in the Dogwood Cemetery in Dogwood, MO.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.nunneleefuneralchapel.com for the Skelton family.