Mary Helen Nixon Landes

I will always remember Mary Helen and JD with love. As long as I remember them, they are with me.

What a blessing to have known Mary Helen. I enjoyed lunch each week with her as a Volunteer at Baptist Hospital. A dear, sweet, lady!

We loved Miss Mary Helen and Mr J.D, as we called them all our lives. She was with us each as newborns, my sister, brother and myself. We were the surrogate grandchildren. I have so many memories. Probably the most profound was when they spent three weeks at my house in Lufkin with my parents and my sister's family after a long road trip evacuating for Hurricane Rita. It was fun for Mary Helen as we all visited and she enjoyed the deep East Texas pine trees. It brought back lots of memories and stories about her growing up in the Athens area. We always enjoyed her being a part of our family's events, from weddings to graduations and so many Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. Thankfully I visited with her two weeks ago and she was sharp as ever! I am very fortunate to have had her in my life. Mom and Dad will miss her at 3 o'clock coffee. I know she is rejoicing in heaven!

I will miss you , my special friend. I know you will be reunited with your love.

Joshua 1:9 - Be Strong and Courageous, for The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

When I think of Mary Helen, I think of the above passage, she was strong and courageous in her life. These characteristics showed in her love for Christ and in her mission to serve him. She lived and served with brilliance, beauty, a great love and grace. Thank you Mary Helen for touching so many lives. You loved each of us in such a beautiful way, making each of us feel so uniquely precious and loved.

I know you have heard the beautiful words: " Well done my good and faithful servant".

Many lives are richer for having shared time with Mary Helen.

My family and I are so sorry to hear of your lose. I am sure Mary Helen will be remembered by many. Please keep in mind that Jehovah God will remember her as well, and his memory is perfect and can restore life again as he has promised us he will do John 5:28,29. We can also look forward to at that time never having to die again. Rev 21:3,4 I pray that we see that day soon. It is our hope that these words bring you a measure of comfort during this difficult time as well. Once again, please accept our deepest condolences as you deal with this most difficult time.

Mary Hellen was one of those persons who touch your soul and inspire your life. I am one of her ESL students in First Baptist Church and she came every Tuesday to teach her lesson to my group. I especially remember one of the last classes, when she brought a photo of one of her cousins and her father and told us their story. It was not only her manner and way of explaining and making stories memorable, but her smile, energy and devotion. And back in time she gave us a Texas class of each of the different regions . She made it colorful and fun. She must be telling those stories in Heaven now!
Mary Helen, you will be greatly missed! You made a difference to us all. Thanks !

Mary Helen and my great aunt, a Methodist missionary, were best friends. And I am her cousin. If you come across her family ancestry material please send me a copy. 515 W. Agarita Ave.San Antonio 78212. I regret we lived so far away.

Mary Helen was one of the loveliest people I knew at First Baptist Church long ago. We sang in the choir together. Once in later years, I asked her, "Mary Helen, didn't you sing alto?" Her answer was, "Well I'm really a soprano, but when I first joined the choir, the person sitting next to me couldn't stay on pitch, so I joined the alto section; they always need altos, you know." I've always hoped that soprano wasn't me!
Bless you, dear lady, and rest in peace.