Obituary of Helen Forest Kirk

. In the wee hours of August 19, 2015, Helen rallied a smile in the end then slipped away peacefully, after a brief illness with beloved family members surrounding her at Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva, NC. Helen was 91 years old. Helen Kirk was born in Springfield, Missouri on January 26, 1924. She was the third of five girls, born to Irl Forest and Helen Gladys (Raines) Hayes. Helen graduated from Walnut Grove High School in Missouri while living with her grandparents Hiram Lee & Eliza Ruth (Denby) Raines, and then attended the Business College in Springfield. Upon graduation she acquired a job at an aircraft factory during World War II in Alameda, California with one of her sisters. When she left California, she was transferred to McDill Air Force Base, just outside Tampa, Florida where she met her first husband Milton L. Andrews. His mother lived in Orla Vista where they decided to settle after they married and began their family. Then at the age the age of 42 she was widowed, but continued to live in the house he built for them for 66 years in all. . At the age of 45, Helen wanted to learn the piano, which she became very good at. Then she decided she wanted to learn to paint at the age 49, and the budding artist in her kept family and friends walls covered. When anyone would see her magnolia paintings they wanted one and she was always willing to paint them. She was a part of an art group until 2013. Helen also enjoyed knitting, hand quilting, was and excellent seamstress, and singing. She was a part of the Christmas Cantata in Orlando for several years and loved to sing with her sisters, blessing many hearts. In 1979, she met husband Eugene L. Kirk and married in 1980. Not long afterwards they began what was to become a tradition in their home. Jack Russel dogs named Mitzi. When she passed away they felt a gap and bought another, however they had a hard time coming up with a name so they carried on and a tradition was started. Upon their death, Mitzi #4 is left behind and is now living with a granddaughter. Helen retired from the United Postal Service in 1981 after working there since 1958 beginning as a sub and ending her work there compiling the national zip code directory. Helen moved to Cullowhee, North Carolina in August 2013 after a period of declining health to be near her daughter Jane Blankenship of Caney Fork, then into Sylva in February 2015, after several bouts of pneumonia and a fractured disc. Helen was preceded in death by: parents - Irl Forest Hayes & Helen Gladys Safreno; husbands - Milton Lemuel Andrews & Eugene Lamar Kirk; daughter Suzanne Wylene Gordon; sisters - Mary Elizabeth Peterson, Phyllis Ruth Marken & Delores Lee "Dee" McDonald; Helen is survived by: daughter - Jane Blankenship; stepdaughter's - Kimberly Puckett & Tammy Haseltine; stepson's - John & Greg Kirk; last surviving sister Francis Wine; brothers - Stanley Hayes & Gordon Hayes; 15 grandchildren; 28 great grandchildren; 7 great-great grandchildren; several cousins, nieces, nephews and a host of friends. Special thanks to the ICU Team and Palliative Care/Hospice Team at Harris Regional and Morning Star Assisted Living Facility. The patient physical therapists and home health workers who she actually looked forward to visiting with; the new friends she made here locally. Helen has left her mark on many lives and was loved dearly. She will be missed by all, yet we know she is at peace resting with her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.