Helen Annette Cole

Helen Annette (Pollard) Cole entered her heavenly home on Monday, November 17, 2025. Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at the First Baptist Church in Stillwater. Strode Funeral Home and Cremation is in charge of the arrangements.

Helen Annette Pollard was born September 14, 1933, in Dunlap, New Mexico. She was the last baby of five children born to Leroy and Geneva (Moore) Pollard. Her siblings were Geneve Bell, Eugene, Kathleen, and Laura Lee. Her young life was not one of luxury, but she was loved and adored by her family. She lived during World War II and the Great Depression. When she was six years old tragedy struck this beautiful family of seven---their Mama died.

The State of New Mexico felt that a single man could not adequately provide for five small children and set out to take the children to place them in an orphanage. Helen's Daddy was not about to let this happen and in the darkness of night gathered his family and escaped the authorities via a train.

Vici, Oklahoma was to be called home for Helen, but her dad's work as a carpenter, farmer, coalminer, shipbuilder, etc. would make many homes for the Pollard Family. Helen started school in Hot Springs, New Mexico and finished her elementary years in Vici, Ok; Tarkington Prairie, Texas and a Coal Mine School near Price, Utah. Helen's Junior High years started at Blaine Jr. High in Salt Lake City, Utah and ended in Arnett, Oklahoma. The Pollard family moved back to Vici where Helen completed High School. She was Secretary Treasure of her Senior class and graduated as Valedictorian. While in school she was an active athlete playing basketball and softball. We were told she was pretty good.

Helen worked at the Best Way Grocery Store while in High School. Following graduation, she was recruited by the bank president to work at the First Bank of Vici. Little did Helen know that would lead to a life-long career in banking. She married her High School sweetheart, Everett Lee Cole, on October 6, 1951. They were married for 68 years. She and Everett would make their first home in Stillwater, Oklahoma where Helen worked full-time at the Student Union to help put the love of her life through college at Oklahoma A&M which is now known as the famous Oklahoma State University. While attending college they welcomed their first daughter, Debra Lee, who was born in her grandparents' (Bertha and Murl Cole's) home. Two years later they became a family of four when Ricky Lynn was born in Woodward, Oklahoma. The college years were back-and forth living between Stillwater and Vici.

Everett would graduate college and take his first job for the USDA in Winnemucca, Nevada. This was a hard move for the young couple and their two small children. Helen and Everett learned to survive and faced some difficult times in Winnemucca. Helen easily found work at a local grocery store and did her best to be wife, mama, and businesswoman. It was a lot and heartache struck when she miscarried. However, joy was restored when she and Everett later had another handsome boy, Kim DeLon. After Everett completed his work as a Soil Scientist in Humboldt County, Nevada, which included doing snow surveys, they were transferred to Woodward, Oklahoma. There, they were excited to welcome a beautiful baby girl and named her, Cindra Dawn. Everett's work was completed in Woodward County, and they were transferred to Shattuck, Oklahoma, Ellis County. Helen became a professional packer as Everett's work with the USDA would move them on to Jay, Oklahoma; Durant, Oklahoma; and finally full circle back to Stillwater.

Helen always worked hard to supplement her family's incomes. She was a great wife, mother, and grandma. We called her Mema. She worked 56 years in all aspects of the banking business working for the First Bank of Vici, First National Bank of Jay, First National Bank of Durant, and retired from Stillwater National Bank (now Simmons Bank) where she had over forty years of service. She was always customer oriented, and she was loved by all. It wasn't unusual for someone to wait just for her to help. Her smile and kindness were given freely to all and usually with a cup of coffee to boot. She also worked some side jobs and was successful in selling Stanley Home Products and later selling Avon Products. She received awards for her work in banking, Stanley and Avon. Her Avon sales netted a huge collection of Ms. Albee figurines as she made the President's Club for 20 years. Her home has a large curio cabinet of these beautiful treasures.

Helen accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior as a young girl, age 10. Her life always included serving God in churches wherever they lived. She was a Sunday School teacher (children and adult), Deacon's wife, sang in the choir often singing solos and was frequently found in the church kitchen helping with dinners, funerals, or other events. She served in Jay First Baptist Church as WMU (Woman's Missionary Union) President. She was active in PTA and Community Events. She once hurled a cast iron skillet further than anyone winning First Prize at the Jay Community Fourth of July Event. Everett received some kidding after she won it---he'd better treat her right. (He did!) She was a Cub Scout leader, GA Leader, and she and Everett hosted church parties and families at their home. She could sew and made all of Debbie's dresses for proms and her wedding dress. She helped cook and bake for many Church and School events. She cleaned a slew of fish and birds that Everett hunted. Her meals were delicious, and she worked alongside Everett many times as they farmed. She qualified as a pro at gate-opening. She planted gardens and was an expert produce canner/freezer and jelly maker. She wrote poetry and songs. She has written a short- story book titled, "My Life with Daddy". `Helen was very loving, and she accomplished what Paul wrote in Philippians 4:11-13 "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content..." She boldly continued to ask others if they knew Jesus as their Lord and Savior? The most important decision one makes in life, and she chose Jesus and knew the "Best was yet to come"!

We will miss her loving ways, her beautiful smile, her laugh, her amazing wit, and her servant's heart. Her memory was amazing and at 92 she could still recite songs, poems and lines from her high school play. She often made-up songs and sang them to us. She protected her children from snakes with Everett's double barrel shotgun. We are so thankful that she made our lives much brighter and better. She tried to live so that others would see Jesus in her life. She often would quote this poem to us, inspiring us to let our light shine for Jesus. "I am my neighbor's Bible" by Dorothy Keeling:

I am my neighbor's Bible;

He reads me when we meet.

Today he reads me in my home-

Tomorrow in the street.

He may be a relative or a friend;

Or slight acquaintance be;

He may not even know my name,

Yet, he is reading me.

So, I'll watch my steps where ere they go;

And my eyes what they may see.

And all the words forth from my lips

Because someone is reading me.

I'll try my best to do God's will

And be what he wants me to be.

An all-seeing eye is looking down

And I know He's reading me.

And so my God, who reads us all

Knows me from A to Z and when I meet him on Judgment Day

He'll still be reading me.

Helen would be the first to admit she was a sinner saved by God's grace.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents, LeRoy and Geneva (Moore) Pollard; her husband, Everett Lee Cole; sister, Geneva Bell and husband Wilson Curtis; brother, Eugene Pollard; sister, Kathleen and husband Julious (Duke) Purswell; sister, Laura Lee McBee; grandson, William Harrison Smith III; her beloved parents-in-love, Murl Newton and Bertha Blanche (Young) Cole; sister-in-love Linda Cole; sons-in-love, Steve Briscoe, and David Field; brothers-in-love, Rod Lingenfelter, and Vince Dye; and Alan Meyer, along with numerous other family members awaiting her in heaven. Big reunion!

She is survived by her children: Debra Field, of Sand Springs, Oklahoma; Ricky and Etheline Cole; Lapu Lapu, Philippines; Kim and Gerry Cole of Stillwater, and Cindra and Bill Smith of Glencoe, Oklahoma. Grandchildren: Patrick Briscoe and Gina Ferrell of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Joshua and Amanda Briscoe, Sand Springs, Kevin and Ki Cole of Morrison, Oklahoma, Angela and John Karr of Bixby, Oklahoma, Will and Rhia Smith Stillwater; Lisa and James Morrow of Glencoe, Oklahoma; Kara and Ashby Kirkendall Morrison, Oklahoma; Joe and Samantha Smith Glencoe, Oklahoma; step-grandson Matt Trigosa, Lapu Lapu, Philippines; Great Grands: Dawsen and Sawyer Briscoe, Jeshurun and Ruthie Cole, Kanade and Liam Smith, Ayden Morrow, Eli and Asher Kirkendall, Isador and Seamus Smith. Sisters- in- love: Loreta Dye, Linda Meyer and Nila Pollard; Brothers-in-love: Keith Cole and wife Bonnie Cole, Dean Cole, Dan and wife Carolyn Cole and one great-Aunt in- love: Wilma Lee Williamson; Numerous: Nieces, Nephews, and cousins. She loved all!