Helen Wade

Helen Wade, 87, of Fort Scott, passed away Thursday morning, Feb. 15, 2024, at the Medicalodge of Fort Scott.

Helen Lois Jackson Wade was born the daughter of Robert Elmer Jackson, Jr. and Orpha Geraldine (Dowty) Jackson, in rural Neodesha, Kan., on June 7, 1936, joining her sibling Jimmy, who was two years older. Her mother passed shortly after her birth of pneumonia.

Helen grew up in Redfield, Kan., and attended the Redfield School. In her younger years she worked as a meat wrapper at the Foodtown grocery store. She married Oscar James Wade on Aug. 2, 1957, in Oklahoma.

OJ and Helen made their home near rural Redfield, Kan., where they raised five boys; Mark, Phil, Steve, David, and Brian. Helen was a homemaker after marrying OJ. Her strong will helped her to survive raising five rambunctious and active boys. She loved to cook and made sure to feed anyone who came by the house. If you were helping haul hay or work cattle, you were guaranteed to be fed well. Pat, Max, Troy, Marty, Mark, Mike, Jeff, Rich, and Kyle are just a few of the family friends that Helen loved to have stop in to visit and eat. In her spare time, she loved to crochet and do embroidery. 

After the boys were gone, she spent every day helping OJ around the farm, from feeding cattle to raking hay, which she couldn’t hardly wait to do. Or she would go to the field and wait on OJ just to make sure he was okay. 

In 1989, she lost her son Phil, and in 2022, her son Mark. After OJ’s passing in 2009, she continued on with the activities on the farm until her health failed and it became too much to continue. She enjoyed her Wednesday trips to town with Steve and the frequent Sonic stops for a drink or sandwich. 

Helen has six grandkids: Jennifer, Sara, Lindsey, Taylor, Kyenne, Makyn, and two great-grandkids Emma and Marley. Helen is also survived by her sons and their wives, Steve and Linda, of Mapleton, Brian and Deana, of rural Fort Scott, and David and Deanna, also of Mapleton; and two sisters, Wilma Bradbury of Hammond, and Mary McKinnis, of Fort Scott. In addition to her husband, OJ, and her sons Philip and Mark, Helen was also preceded in death by her brother Jimmy in 1996.

The family would like to thank “Caring Hearts” and her caregivers: Diana Cavin, June Bloomfield, Lisa Metcalf, Emily Turner, and the others that were a part of her being able to stay at home as long as she could. Also, a special thanks to Danielle Little from Gentiva Hospice for making her comfortable in her final days. 

John Durling will officiate graveside services for Helen at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, at the Centerville Cemetery near Devon, Kan., under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.