Helen Witherell

ATHENS - Helen Frances Witherell, 94, of ATHENS died Saturday morning at Ochr(39)Bleness Memorial Hospital. Helen was born March 14th in Wellston, Ohio. She was the daughter of the late Anna Florence Kight Thomas and William Thomas. Mrs. Witherell worked her way through Ohio State University receiving her BA in Education in 1941. She was the first of her family to go to college and always stressed the value of education to her family and students. She taught elementary and middle school in Lewisburg and Brookville, Ohio. Helen loved reading, and word games, and continued her love of books even when her vision became limited thanks to the talking books program and the ATHENS -ibrary Outreach program. She was a fierce competitor in Scrabble into her nineties. She was active in AFAN, and started the lap quilting program there. She was a wonderful and beloved wife, mother, and grandmother. She is survived by her three children-Mary Ellen Barwise of Bloomington, IN, Emmy (Siraj) Haji of Columbus, OH, and Dr. James Witherell (Jeanie) of Pomeroy, OH, seven grandchildren-Melanie, Claire, and Jon (Karen) Barwise; Matthew (Jenny) Mulbarger; Jason (Cindy) Witherell, Josh (Katie) Witherell, and John Thomas Witherell, niece and nephew Becky Seamons and Richard Patterson, nieces Anne Witherell and Jane Martel, nephew Dan (Norma) Lockard, and seven great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband James of 66 years, siblings Nellie Thomas, Maude Lockard, Donald Thomas, and Marjorie Patterson, nephew Thomas Lockard, and beloved granddaughter Anne Mulbarger Ransom. She is also survived by her loving "posse& of caregivers, Linda Nelson, Rhonda McComas, Lisa Parker, Janice Schoonover, and Diana MacDonald. Services will be held on Saturday, July 18th at the Hughes-Moquin Funeral Home in Athens. Friends and family may call at the funeral home from 11 am until 1 pm. The funeral service will follow at 1 pm. Burial will be in Rocksprings Cemetery in Pomeroy, OH. Anyone wishing to send condolences by e-mail may visit the website at www.hughesmoquinfuneralhome.com.