Willie Payne Helms

Obituary: Willie Payne Hartsell Helms went home to Heaven on Monday, November 4, 2013 where she was received into the loving arms of Jesus and was reunited with family members and friends who have gone before her. She was born on November 23, 1924 to the late Columbus Payne Hartsell and Willie Estelle Boger Hartsell. She is survived by her husband Ray with whom she shared 67 years of amazing love and devotion to one another. She is also survived by her son Glenn Helms and wife Diane of Concord, her son William Helms and wife Teresa of Charlotte, her sister Janie Parker of Concord, and grandchildren Sonny Privette and wife Toni of Charlotte, and Connie Schram and husband Duane of Charlotte. She was preceded in death by her parents and infant son David, whose graves she has lovingly maintained with seasonal flowers for many years. Payne was raised in the Flowe's Store community south of Concord and attended Bethel School until the family moved to the Winecoff School community where she graduated from Winecoff High School in 1941. She met her future husband Ray at the age of 15 and they were married in 1946 shortly after his return from military service in World War II. Together they raised their family and lived in the home they love in the Winecoff School community for over 60 years. They have been devoted members of Brookdale Baptist church for over 60 years. Payne was a loving and tireless homemaker who was at home with her children until they were well into their school years. She then returned to school and graduated from North State Business College. She worked at Johnson Furniture, Montgomery Ward, and for 13 years with the Cabarrus County School System before retiring in 1985. Her friends and family describe her as sweet, loving, kind, gentle, polite, humble, meek, and compassionate. She was truly a sweet, gentle, and loving soul whose nature was to always put others first. She taught her children by living the values she wanted them to learn. She was a wonderful cook who prepared and hosted Thanksgiving and Christmas meals for the family as long as she was able. The thing she most enjoyed in life was simply spending time with her family at home or on vacations to the mountains or beaches. We will greatly miss her loving presence in our lives. Visitation will be held from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM Friday, November 8th at Whitley's Funeral Home. Funeral services will follow at 12:00 PM in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Mike Hubbard officiating. Burial will follow at Carolina Memorial Park. At other times the family will gather at her home. Memorials may be made to Brookdale Baptist Church, 2511 S. Ridge Ave., Kannapolis, NC 28083, Samaritan's Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC., 28607-3000 or The American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK., 731213-1718. Online condolences may be left at www.whitleysfuneralhome.com
Visitation: 11:00 to 12:00 PM Friday November 8, 2013 Whitley's Funeral Home

Service: 12:00 PM Friday November 8, 2013 Whitley's Funeral Home Chapel

Interment: Carolina Memorial Park