Helen C. Muse

1937 - 2022

La Feria - Helen C Muse, 84 of La Feria, Texas died February 5, 2022.

A memorial service was at Heavenly Grace Funeral Home, La Feria, Texas

She was born May 2, 1937, in Baytown, Texas to Edwin and Helen Coble.

Helen could accomplish anything she set her mind to do. She was very active in the Lions International District 2-A3, Harlingen Amigas Lions Club, Texas Lions Camp, Inc., Harlingen Mid-Valley Retired Teachers Association, her church and family.

She made history. When she was the first woman in District 2-A3 to be inducted into the Texas Lions Hall of Fame in 2016. The district covers the Rio Grande Valley and up to Rockport area to the north and Zapata to the west. There are about 60 Lions Clubs in the district.

For Helen, service to the community and involvement with the Lions Club trumped any awards, even if it was a big one. She said it was one way to live her faith and help others in the community. She said being part of the Lions Club make her fell like she was earning every day here on Earth. She was a long-time and well known state leader for Lions International. She served as the District 2A-3 governor from 2007-08 and vice governor from 2006-07. She was also the recipient of numerous Lions Club awards, including: Melvin Jones Fellowship Award; Ed Flood Award; Texas Lions Foundation Award; Ray Hughston Humanitarian Award; and Lion of the Year.

Along with the state efforts, she served in just about every capacity within the local chapter, Helen never looked at it as hard work, she didn't believe anything was hard if you enjoyed doing it. She said it may be challenging, but she always liked a challenge. Early on, women just being considered Lions was a challenge. Women were Lionesses. It wasn't until 1987 that they were allowed to be lions. In 1990, the Harlingen Amigas Lions Club was created and made up for her extraordinary dedication and commitment to the Lions Club. She enjoyed every single position, it opened up a world of friends and enabled her to do things she might not have had a chance to do otherwise.

Helen has been a resident of the Valley since the late 1960's. Though retired, she had worked as an educator with Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District for 32 years. That along with the fact she was a mother, grandmother, and a great-grandmother, is where she found her passion to help children. As a special education teacher, she was already helping others to live healthier, fuller lives. She was always looking for ways to help and improve the community. The Lions Club turned out to be the perfect outlet for her to serve people outside the classroom. She liked doing anything that was connected with helping children. And she stayed busy doing just that.

She is survived by her husband of 65 years Ralph Muse; two daughters Angela McClanahan, her husband Larry McClanahan and Rosemarie Sheets; six grandchildren, and five great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Brother Henry Coble, his wife Anamaria, her children and grandchildren; and Sister MaryBeth O'Connell and her two children and grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her son, Ralph J. Muse; Brother, James W. Coble; Mother, Helen Coble; and father, Edwin Coble.

Donations may be sent to Texas Lions Camp, Inc. P.O. Box 290247, Kerrville, TX 78029 or St.Jude Children's Hospital.