Helen Margaret Messick Willetts

HELEN MARGARET

MESSICK WILLETTS

Helen Margaret Messick Willetts, of Wilmington, NC, died at Cape Fear Hospital on April 9, 2010. She was born on October 8, 1924, in Falcon, NC, daughter of Dr. John Decatur Messick and Magdalene Robinson Messick. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband of 49 years, Frederick Willetts, Jr., and her three brothers; Norval Robinson Messick, John Albert Messick, and Kenneth Claude Messick.

Helen graduated from Elon University at the age of 18, and did graduate work at UNC-Chapel Hill and New Jersey State College. She received a Masters degree in music from New York University in 1946, and taught music for Verona, NJ schools. Helen was named Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities. In 1947, she moved to Wilmington where she became the choral director on the original faculty of Wilmington College, now the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and at New Hanover High School, until her marriage in 1948. Helen's entire adult life was spent in doing volunteer work in the Wilmington community. In 1949, she played an instrumental part in the establishment of Camp Pretty Pond, a camp for Girl Scouts in Brunswick County. She was President of the Junior League of Wilmington, 1962-63, and she served as Chairman of the New Hanover County Museum Board of Trustees and Vice-Chairman of Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. She also served on the Boards of Wilmington Historic District Commission, the Lower Cape Fear Historical Society, and the UNC-W Foundation. An accomplished pianist, Helen could always be called on to play for Pied Piper Children's Theatre, at the Catherine Kennedy Home, or as substitute organist at St. James Parish where she was a choir member and served on the Vestry. Helen was recognized as "Volunteer of the Decade" in 1987, by the then named New Hanover County Museum and received the Woman of Achievement Award from the YWCA in 1993. She will be remembered for her organizational skills and her ability to lend grace and cordiality to a meeting, her passion for historic preservation, her love of gardening, and for leading a large group of family and friends every Christmas night for many years in singing around her piano, always ending with a performance of "the Twelve Days of Christmas", enhanced by "props" gathered from all around her house.

Helen is survived by her sister, Rose Messick Melvin of Raleigh, sister-in-law, Elizabeth Cox Messick of Wilmington, son Frederick Willetts, III and wife Myrna, and daughter Helen Margaret Willetts of Wilmington, and daughter Elizabeth Messick Willetts of Longs, SC. She is also survived by four granddaughters, Sarah Willetts Crews and husband Will, of Raleigh, Susan Willetts Favate, and husband Sam, of Chatham, NJ, Margaret Ellen Willetts Reid, and husband J.C., of Greer, SC, and Stephanie Rose Willetts of Wilmington; great-grandchildren, Olivia Rose Willetts, Samuel John Favate, III, and Albert Frederick Favate; eight nieces and nephews, 17 great nieces and nephews, and seven great-great nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, April 17, at 11:00 AM at St. James Parish, interment following at Oakdale Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Francis Peter Fensel, Jr. and nephews; Robert Davis Clark, John Campbell Hall, III, Joseph Lawrence Lancaster, III, William Lyman Melvin, and John Decatur Messick, II.

Memorials may be made to St. James Parish or to the Cape Fear Museum.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.andrewsmortuary.com

A Market Street Chapel Service



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