Grandma Obit

Helen Louise Billington, 87, of Green Castle, Missouri passed away on Wednesday February 10, 2010 at her home under Hospice care.

Born November 3, 1922 in Stahl, Missouri, Helen was the daughter of Oliver Pearl and Rubia Esther (Osborn) Cooley. On November 22, 1940 in Milan, Missouri, Helen was united in marriage to Clyde E Billington who preceded her in death on April 5, 1999.

She was also preceded in death by her parents; one daughter, Candace, and two brothers, Leonard Cooley and William Thomas "Bill" Cooley.

Helen is survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, Clyde "Gene" and Ellner Billington Jr of Maplewood, MN, Eldon and Pauline Billington of Green Castle, MO and Bryand and Brenda Billiongton of Unionville, MO; two daughters, Lyndia Billington of Green Castle, MO and Cindy Foster of Waterloo, IA; one brother, Connie Dee Colley of Greentop, MO and two sisters, Patricia Bledsoe of Nampa, ID and Betty Wassam of Kircksville, MO. She is also survived by eleven grandchildren; eighteen great-grandchildren, and one great great-grandchild.

Helen grew up in Adair and Putnam counties and was a graduate of Martinstown High School. She worked most all of her adult life as a waitress in Waterloo, Iowa where she and her husband Clyde moved in 1943. She also owned Helen's Diner in Jessup, Iowa and has been employed for Stockman's Inn #2 and Freeman's Restaurant both of Waterloo, Iowa.

Helen loved fishing, sewing, gradening, and crocheting and during deer season many a hunter freasted at her kitchen table on bacon, eggs and homemade biscuits and gravy.

She was a member of Hazel Creek Free Will Baptist Church of Kirksville. Helen was also president of the Sidney Community Club.

Funeral services will be held 11:00am Saturday February 13, 2010 in the chapel of Travis-Noe Funeral Home in Kirksville, MO.