Helen Louise Deuel

Helen Louise Robertson Deuel, 85, long time resident of Ocean Springs died February 6, 2008. She had resided in Ocean Springs Nursing Center for the past year. Ms. Deuel was born on March 3, 1922 to Glenn John Robertson and Dorothy Elizabeth Barwick in Poughkeepsie, New York. She grew up on Long Island, married in 1950 to Ralph Deuel, also of New York, and moved to the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 1958. They had four children and divorced in 1963. In the early 1940’s she attended Cornell University, lived in New Jersey and later in Peoria, Illinois before moving to the Gulf Coast. In 1964, she was the first female postal clerk in Ocean Springs and retired in 1977. Her activities included memberships in various garden clubs, bridge clubs and civic organizations. Helen’s interest included history, genealogy, gardening, collage art, knitting and crochet. An avid reader and writer, her interest in local politics prompted her to write many “letters to the editor” in both the Ocean Springs Record and Sun Herald. After retirement, she cared for her grandchildren as well as managing her own business reproducing antique textiles. She is survived by her four children, Ralph Geoffrey Deuel of State Line, Louisiana; Elizabeth Ray and her husband, Philip D. Ray of Moss Point; Suzanne Weidie of Burlington, Vermont and Jon David Deuel, Oakland, California; five grandchildren, Lisa Ann Graham Tarplee and her husband, Adam Tarplee of Port St. Lucie, Florida; Kyle B. Weidie of Washington, D.C.; Nick and Travis Deuel from the state of Washington and Zoey Ango of Burlington, Vermont. She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, June and ex-husband. A Memorial service will be held at O’Keefe Funeral Home in Ocean Springs on March 3, 2008 with visitation from 5 to 7 PM with the service at 7. In leau of flowers, contributions may be made to the Textile Room of the Mary O’Keefe Cultural Center, 1600 Government Street, Ocean Springs, Mississippi, 39564, 228-818-2878.