Helen Louise Garverick

Helen Louise Garverick, age 90, of Lexington, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, friend, sister, and educator, passed away on Thursday, September 11, 2025.
Helen will always be remembered for the love she poured into her family. She spoiled her grandkids and great grandkids at every opportunity. Her strength, kindness, and commitment to family and community will leave a lasting legacy.
Born in Meigs County, Ohio, Helen was the daughter of Charles and Margaret (Singer) Bissell. She was the 2nd of a total of 13 children in her family, and in her early days, her family had no electricity or indoor plumbing. Even as a child, she was such an avid reader that she would sometimes read by candlelight. Helen loved to tell her grandchildren stories about life growing up in those days and all the fun that she had with her siblings.
She graduated from Chester High School and moved to Columbus at the age of 17, where she worked as a telephone switchboard operator. This is where she met Sheldon Garverick, who was attending Columbus Business College. While they were dating, they would go to White Castle for hamburgers on Sundays. They were married on July 31, 1954.
Helen's 3 sons were born in Shelby, where they lived until 1968. She and Sheldon decided to move the family to Lexington that year because they liked the schools there and it was closer to Sheldon's office.
While raising her boys, Helen pursued her passion for education by taking classes at community college, and this ultimately led to her earning a bachelor's degree in psychology from The Ohio State University. She happened to be on campus at Ohio State in the spring of 1970 when tear gas was used during student protests relating to the Vietnam War and Kent State shootings.
After graduating from Ohio State, Helen supported the education of others by working as a substitute teacher at Lexington High School and serving on the Lexington School Board. Driven by her belief in the importance of higher education, Helen has provided guidance that has had a meaningful impact on the lives of her children and others she loved that will be passed on through generations.
A devoted and respected member of the Lexington community, in addition to the school board, Helen served on the Lexington Village Council.
Helen had a lifelong love of nature and could often be found tending her flower gardens well into her late 80s, sometimes spending 6-7 hours in a day. She also enjoyed needlepoint and cross-stitching, crafting countless keepsakes over the years. Deeply curious about her family's roots, Helen was passionate about genealogy and spent many hours researching her ancestry. One of her proudest accomplishments was traveling to Russia as part of a delegation representing the state of Ohio-an experience she fondly recalled as one of her favorite adventures.
Helen embraced technology and kept up with the times. She was an early user of video phones, which allowed her to see her grand kids in California opening their Christmas gifts. She continued to use this technology to stay connected to family throughout the rest of her life.
She was also very proud that she had purchased a flat-screen TV when they were first available, even before any of her high-tech kids. She enjoyed gaming online and stayed connected with family and friends through regular emails.
Helen is survived by her two sons and daughters-in-law Timothy L. and LeeAnne Garverick of Alamo, California and Randy S. and Christina Garverick of Powell; six grandchildren and their spouses Susan (Morgan) McClellon, Emily (Nicholas) Dowell, Steven Garverick, Anna Louise Garverick, Thomas Garverick and fianceé Shelbi Frye, and Matthew Garverick; four great grandchildren Briar, Esma and Juni McClellon and Alice Helen Dowell, siblings Frona Riffle, Ada and Curtis Randolph, Delbert Bissell and Joyce LaRue, Douglas and Carolyn Bissell, Glen and Melissa Bissell, Naomi Hawes, David and Nancy Bissell, and Robert and Sally Bissell, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and extended family.
Along with her parents she was preceded in death by her husband Sheldon Garverick; son Steven Garverick; grandson Scott Garverick; and siblings Charles, Roger, and Dwight Bissell, and Karen Bowcott.
Snyder Funeral Homes, Lexington Avenue Chapel is honored to serve the Garverick family. Memorial contributions may be made in Helen's memory to the American Cancer Society.