Obituary of Helen Higdon Allison

Helen Higdon Allison, age 94, of Lincolnton died Tuesday, July 1, 2014 at Autumn Care of Waynesville. She was born May 26, 1920 in Higdonville, in Macon County, NC. She is the daughter of the late Dennis Cleveland Higdon and the late Ethel (Higdon) Higdon. On February 19, 1949, she married Claude Howard Allison. Helen was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, a step-son, Jack Howard Allison and wife, Judy, two brothers, Joe Higdon and Dennis Higdon, Jr., and a sister, Nola Higdon Lilley. Helen grew up in the community of Webster on Little Savannah and graduated from Webster High School in 1938. In 1942, she graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (then known as "Woman's College") with a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics. From 1942–1949, she worked as a Home Demonstration Agent with the NC Extension Service in Swain and Henderson Counties. In August 1965, Helen was awarded a Master's degree in Counseling and Guidance from Western Carolina University. She worked as a high school counselor in Gaston and Mecklenburg Counties until her retirement in 1985. Helen was very active in her church and community, holding many offices of leadership and receiving many awards for excellence in service. After retirement, Helen returned to western North Carolina and resided in Sylva, NC until 2000, when she moved to Crescent View Retirement Center in Arden, NC. On April 9, 2008, Helen became the first resident at Carillon Assisted Living of Lincolnton. In 2009, Helen was crowned Senior Apple Queen of the Lincoln County Assisted Living Pageant. On April 26, 2014, Helen returned to her beloved mountains as a resident of Autumn Care Nursing and Rehabilitation, Waynesville, NC. Over the years, Helen's hobbies included traveling internationally, swimming, card playing, bingo, church, and community service. Surviving Helen are her three daughters and their husbands, Chip and Jim Sitts of Morganton, Claudette and Vernon Scott of Lincolnton, Pam and Keith Shuler of Sylva; a sister, Eva Higdon Wood of Andrews; a sister-in-law, Doris Middleton Higdon of Sylva; grandchildren, Allison Michelle Scott of Lincolnton, Allie Nichole (Nikki) Sitts of Morganton, Kathleen and Eddie Davis of Asheville, Cody and Melanie Allison of Nashville, Erin and Doug Mullins of Knoxville, Megan and Kyle Kalloway of Knoxville, and seven great-grandchildren, Madison, Aprille, Whitney and Peyton Davis, Maggie and Jack Allison, and Kayleigh Kalloway. Memorials may be given to Samaritan's Purse Livestock and Dairy Animals (www.samaritanspurse.org/donation-items/livestock-2), Four Seasons Hospice of Hendersonville (www.fourseasonscfl.org), First Presbyterian Church, General Fund, Sylva, NC or Covenant Bible Church Renovations Fund, POB 654, Lincolnton, NC 28093. A celebration of Helen's life will be held at Appalachian Funeral Services in Sylva on Saturday, July 5. The family will receive friends at 1:00 pm with the service to begin at 2:00 pm. A special graveside service will be in Keener Cemetery. Rev. Dave Herbertson of Lincolnton is officiating. An online registry is available at www.appalachianfuneralservices.com .