Helen Wyatt

Helen "Sis Waddell" Wyatt, 95, passed away quietly in her sleep on November 11, 2025. Born on April 24, 1930, as the youngest of five older brothers, who she claimed, "beat the hell out of her," toughening her up, which helped her with her future baseball career.
Helen was quite an athlete, excelling in basketball and softball. In high school, in 1948, Helen was a Girls' High School All-American Basketball player. After trying out for the AAGPBL in 1949, she was assigned to spring training for the South Bend Blue Sox. She never played for South Bend, being traded to the Rockford Peaches just before the start of the 1950 season. Helen played with the Springfield Sallies (1949), the Rockford Peaches (1950, 1951), and the Battle Creek Belles (1951). When she played for the Rockford Peaches, the team was managed by Bill Allington. She played second base for the Peaches when they won the All-American Girls Professional Baseball title in 1951.
While working at the National Lock Corporation in Rockford, IL, during the off-season, Helen met Neil Wyatt Sr. while passing through the shop. They started talking, and after a few weeks, Neil asked her out on a date. Instead, she invited him to a baseball game. After the season ended in 1951, Helen was going back home to Lemoyne, Pennsylvania, and told Neil that he could either pack his socks and underwear and come along or say goodbye. He was smart enough to go along, and they were married in October of 1951.
Returning to Rockford, Helen continued to work at National Lock until two boys came along, Neil II (1957) and Scott (1961). Helen was a stay-at-home mom until the boys were older, then she worked for Jan's Sportsware, a ladies' clothing shop. She also worked at Amcore Bank and finished her working career in the garden department at the Loves Park, IL, K-Mart.
Helen loved all things sports, especially Pittsburgh Pirates baseball and Steelers football. She enjoyed coaching and working with women's softball and baseball, continuing to coach well into her 80s.
She was especially proud of her two granddaughters, Elyse and Brittany, as well as a great-granddaughter, Monroe, and a great-grandson, Donovan.
The family would like to thank the staff at Heritage Woods Assisted Living Center in Rockford. Helen lived there for over six years and loved her apartment and the staff who gave her outstanding care.
Helen is survived by her oldest son, Neil (Sandy) G. Wyatt II; grandchildren, Elyse (Adam) K. Burnett and Brittany (Ian) N. Wyatt; great-grandchildren, Monroe, Elizebath Burnett, and Donovan Wyatt Burnett; nieces and nephews, Sandy Goecke, Jacqui Gordon, Terri Wilkerson, Kim Dickinson, Bruce Wyatt, Brian Wyatt, Michelle Meyer, Tim Wyatt and Kathy McKinzie; numerous other extended family and friends. She is predeceased by her husband, Neil G. Wyatt Sr.; and son, Scott Steven Wyatt.
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