Helen G. Bland

Mrs. Helen Gertrude Bland, age 81, of 1251 Hilton Place, Petersburg, departed this life Friday, March 6, 2009, at MCV Medical Center, Richmond.

She was born June 5, 1927, in Dinwiddie County, to the late Houston and Gertrude Brown. Orphaned at the age of 3, she was accepted into the home of her maternal grandparents, Squire Williams and Bessie Wilson Williams, where she shared a modest, but loving home. A product of the Petersburg Public Schools, Helen attended Peabody High School. At an early age, she confessed Christ and was baptized at First Baptist Church (Harrison Street), Petersburg. During the ensuing years she was a regular and devoted member of the church where she served on the Ladies Usher Board. Helen truly enjoyed the Sunday morning worship service at First Baptist Church especially the Male Chorus. Like most women of her generation, she was a loving and hard-working mother. A long-time employee of Central State Hospital, Helen received a Service Award from the commonwealth of Virginia after completing 25 years as an employee in 1988 and she retired from that organization in 1989. Prior to accepting a position at Central State she held several jobs in the Petersburg area, including a position as a cook at Lee House Diner, one of the areas most popular restaurants during the mid-1950s. Following retirement, she worked as a home health aide in the Tri-City area. Most recently, she served as a part-time adult program aide for the Helping Hands Adult Care Center of Petersburg. She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Hugh William Bland Jr.

Helen leaves to cherish her memory three loving sons, Charles Hugh William Bland III, Don Carlos Bland and Eric Lloyd Bland; a granddaughter, Erica Cherie Bland of Richmond; a host of cousins, other relatives, neighbors, co-workers and her First Baptist Church family. She will be sadly missed but never forgotten.

A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 14, 2009, at First Baptist Church, Harrison Street, Petersburg, with the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Tillman, pastor, officiating. The interment will be in Wilkerson Memorial Cemetery, Petersburg. The family wishes you to join them for a repast in the Fellowship Hall of the church immediately following the interment. The family will assemble at the residence one hour prior to the service.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the staff of William N. Bland and Son Funeral Home, Petersburg, (804) 732-7841. We serve three locations, Petersburg, Hopewell and Waverly. Please send online condolences to www.blandenterprisesinc.com.