LELA HELTONBorn 21 January 1899 Valles Mines, MOMarried Dewitt Helton May 11, 1920 Died 26 January 1980 Arnold, MO Buried Parklawn Cemetery, St. Louis, MO Lela lived in Valles Mines until she was 6 years old. In 1904 the family moved to De Soto after lots of bad times. Lela's mother died in 1901 and three years of drought, James moved his family to De Soto where he went to work for the Railroad. On the 11th of May 1920 Lela married Dewitt Helton. To this union 4 children were born: Russell, James, Virginia and Vera Mae. Virginia, Vera Mae, and Lela's husband all died before she did. She loved her children very much and they loved her. Times were very rough and she had many trying circumstances, but with the help of God she did the very best any mother could be expected to do. Lela was very close to her brothers and sisters. She was very lonely after Nellie and Ethel died as she was the only one left. The three sisters did lots of church work for the Lafayette Park Methodist Church especially for socials and dinners. Lela did some traveling with her sisters. One trip the three went to visit Nellie's daughter in Charlotte, N.C. Twice Lela came with Ethel to visit Martha Lee. Once she and Ethel came with their brother Clyde and wife Kathryn to Shaaron Anne's wedding. When somebody said go she was ready. Part of Lela's married life, she lived in De Soto close to Ethel, Fran, Martha Lee and their father James. Later they moved to St. Louis, MO. Lela was living with her son James when she died. --Written by Martha Gruenewald, with the help of Lela's son James Vernon Helton - May 1988 |