Helen Jeffords Barham

WEST COLUMBIA - Helen Jeffords Barham, 80, 'the prettiest wife, sweetest mother, and most fabulous grandmother,' passed away on August 1, 2010, at Lexington Medical Center, following an over 34 year battle with breast cancer. Her courage in fighting this disease inspired her family and all who knew her.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 4, 2010, at Ashland United Methodist Church, 2600 Ashland Road, Columbia, SC 29210, with Rev. Joel R. Jones, officiating. Assisting in the service will be Rev. Dr. John M. Younginer, Jr., Rev. Dr. Ted R. Morton, Jr., CH (COL) Clyde M. Aiken, and Rev. Carl D. Clary, all of whom have been friends of Helen for many decades. Helen was born July 8, 1930, in Florence, SC. She was the daughter of the late Emerson Ingram Jeffords and Elizabeth Sellers Jeffords.Graduating from Florence High School in 1948, Helen attended Duke University for her freshman year of college. She graduated from Furman University in 1952. At Furman, she was the President of the Women's Student Body, a member of the Senior Order, and Who's Who. She initially pursued graduate study at Emory University and then completed her Master's degree at the Teachers College of Columbia University in 1953. Later, she attended Columbia College to obtain additional certifications. In addition to her lifetime work as a homemaker, Helen worked as a resident counselor for a year at the University of Florida. Later, she was a librarian and reading specialist in schools in Richland-Lexington District Five and Richland One. She finished her professional career in alcohol and drug abuse prevention education as the Director of Prevention for LRADAC. In 1991, she received the SCAHE Award for Outstanding Contribution to Health Education for her work in alcohol and drug abuse prevention education. She also spearheaded the 1991 LRADAC Red Ribbon Campaign. Dedicated to community service, Helen worked countless hours as a volunteer throughout her life in various activities from Cub Scouts to church. After retirement, she worked for several years with the adult literacy program in Columbia. Her work as a volunteer with the Richland County Unit of the American Cancer Society began following her initial bout with breast cancer in 1976, and, in 1979, she received the Col. S. L Finklea Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service. She reached out to numerous other breast cancer victims through her efforts with the Reach to Recovery Program. For many years, she volunteered with the Lexington Medical Center Volunteer Auxiliary, most recently at Becky's Place where she assisted other cancer victims and where her fellow workers knew her affectionately as the Queen B. As a final act of service, she donated her body to the Gift of Body Program at the USC School of Medicine. Helen was a member of Ashland UMC. Previously, she was a member of College Place UMC for over fifty years. She grew up in Central UMC in Florence where she enjoyed many happy days participating in Methodist youth activities. Her Christian faith guided and sustained her throughout her life.Survivors include: her high school sweetheart and loving, devoted husband of over 55 years, Robert Timothy (Bob) Barham; daughter, Marthalyn Barham Schimsa (David); son, Robert Jeffords (Jeff) Barham (Valerie); grandchildren, Adam Schimsa, Rebecca Schimsa, Bobby Barham, Ryan Barham, and Kelsey Barham; sisters and brothers, Martha J. Hatchell of Williamsburg, VA, Warren I. Jeffords of Houston, TX, Thomas H. Jeffords of Newport News, VA, and Ann J. Patterson of Ladson, SC; and nieces and nephews.The family is extremely grateful to the wonderful, caring physicians, nurses, and staff at Lexington Medical Center, SC Oncology Associates, and Columbia Cardiology Consultants for their skilled, compassionate care during her recent illness and hospitalizations, especially her primary treating physicians, Dr. E. Myron Barwick and Dr. G. Tripp Jones.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Ashland UMC, 2600 Ashland Road

Columbia, SC 29210; College Place UMC, 4801 Colonial Drive, Columbia, SC 29203; the Lexington Medical Center Volunteer Auxiliary Nursing Scholarship Fund, 2720 Sunset Blvd., West Columbia, SC 29169; the American Cancer Society SC Division, 128 Stonemark Ln., Columbia, SC 29210; or the Helen Jeffords Barham Scholarship at Columbia College, 1301 Columbia College Drive, Columbia, SC 29203. ShivesFuneralHome.com 803.754.6290|