Mary Farris Helton

MCADENVILLE -- Mrs. Mary Farris Helton, 87, formerly of McAdenville, died Thursday, July 18, 2002 at Belaire Health Care Center.
Mrs. Helton was a native of Gaston County, daughter of the late Lorenzo White and Irene McCall Farris, loving wife wife of the late Arthur Helton, Sr. She was an active member of McAdenville Methodist Church who lovingly volunteered her time to her church family. She was honored with the McAdenville Methodist Church Woman of the Year for her willingness to give of her time and talents. She was employed by Gaston County Schools for 27 years, and was loved by all who worked with her. Mary had a wonderful sense of humor and made everyone around her feel special, and even through her illness she maintained her sweet disposition and her kindness and gentle spirit radiated to all.
As many friends and family visited her bedside to encourage her, they all left being uplifted themselves. Mary was a rare and precious person and will be greatly missed.
Survivors include her children and their spouses, Gene Helton and wife, Lynn, Gail Helton Shoemaker and her husband Roger Shoemaker, all of Gastonia and Rosalee H. Noles and her husband Steve Noles of Mt. Holly; grandchildren, Genie Helton Flint and husband Rudy Flint, David Troy Helton and wife Charlotte P. Helton, Kim Shoemaker Wells and husband Frederick Byrd Wells, Roger Dale Shoemaker, Jr. and wife Pamela Helms Shoemaker, Arthur Eugene Helton III, Stephen Andrew Noles and Daniel B. Noles; great grandchildren, Rudy Flint, Jr., Allyson Lynn Flint, Frederick Byrd Wells, Jr., Mary Carson Wells, Elijah Helton and Gideon Helton, Madison Dale Shoemaker and Caroline Elizabeth Shoemaker; sisters, Sue Farris Harrison of Gastonia, Alma White Cline of Savannah, Georgia; and brother, Arnold Farris of Stanley.
An 11 a.m. funeral service will be held Saturday, July 20, 2002 at McAdenville Methodist Church, The Rev. Sidney Epperson officiating.
Visitation will be held Friday, July 19, 2002 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at McLean Funeral Directors and at other times at the home of Roger and Gail Shoemaker, 2202 Monticello Drive, Gastonia. Burial will follow the service at Gaston Memorial Park.
Memorials may be made to McAdenville Methodist Church, Main Street, McAdenville, NC 28101, or the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research at Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, NY 10163.
McLean Funeral Directors is in charge of arrangements.