Helen Lee

Our family is saddened to share that Helen Brown Lee passed on November 12, 2024. Helen was born in Ulvah, Kentucky on April 7, 1948, to the late Anthony Wayne and Phoebe (Sumner) Brown. After graduating from Letcher High School in 1966, she moved to Indiana where she lived the rest of her life. Helen had a large family with six brothers and 5 sisters. She had only one child herself, David Caudill. After meeting Jack Lee in 1990, they married in 1992, and her family expanded even further to include Jack’s daughters, Jennifer and Janet. Staying close to family and friends was always important to Helen and she was key in helping to organize gatherings for family and friends. Our family appreciated her dedication to keeping us close and will continue these traditions.

After retiring in 2018, Helen lived life to the fullest. She and Jack loved to travel and enjoyed many trips together including Arizona, California, and Florida. She had many hobbies and often kept herself busy by reading, sewing, quilting, crafting, and creating beautiful flower gardens. She was a member of the Quilters Guild and Unraveled Sewing Group.

When Helen received her diagnosis, she did not let the sadness or fear overcome her. She faced her health issues head-on with grace and a positive attitude that amazed everyone around her. With the support of family and friends, she dealt with the hardships as they came and took things one day at a time. Through it all, she was often more worried about family than herself. Helen also took comfort from her church family as a member of Cytheanne Christian Church in Fishers, Indiana.

In addition to her parents, Helen was preceded in death by her brothers, Douglas, Rex, and Paul Brown; sister, Mildred Rogers Cox; niece, Jessie Coffey; and great-nephew, Jason Phillips.

Helen is survived by her husband, Jack Lee; son, David Caudill (Janet); daughters, Jennifer VanMieghem (Tyler), and Janet Dean (Marie); grandson, Ben VanMieghem; granddaughter, Lauren VanMieghem; great-grandson, Casper VanMieghem; brothers, Roen Brown (Billy Sue), Harold Brown (Pearl), Donald Brown (Jussinea); sisters, Jeanette Caudill, Cora Halcomb (Tooster), Joan Roberts Miller, and Charlene Drakos (Tom); brother-in-law, James Lee (Sandy); as well as a host of nieces and nephews who loved her dearly; and two great-nephews, Brady and Colin, who always referred to her as “Grandma Chick”.

The family takes comfort in knowing Helen is no longer in pain. Though not having her in their daily lives will be hard, she will always remain in their hearts. Helen will not soon be forgotten and will be thought of and remembered at every family gathering.

Family and friends are invited to celebrate Helen’s life on Sunday, November 17, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Carlisle Branson Funeral Service & Crematory in Mooresville. Funeral services will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, November 18, 2024, with one hour of visiting before the service. Burial will follow the services in Coatesville Cemetery. 

Memorial contributions may be made in Helen’s honor to Cancer Research, cancerresearch.org.