Helen Patrick Blalock

North Brookfield / Ware - Helen (Brown) Blalock, 85, of Ware and formerly of North Brookfield, died on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at her residence in Cedarbrook Village.

Helen Pat was born on June 19, 1938, at her parents' home in Craigsville, WV. She was predeceased by her beloved husband and soulmate, Earl T. Blalock of Fredericksburg, VA, her parents, Patrick A. and Zela C. Brown, her brother, Dr. James David Brown, all of Craigsville, as well as her sister, Lula C. Roach of Jacksonville, FL.

She is survived by her nephew, James Patrick Brown DDS, and his wife Carole of Craigsville, WV; and by her niece, LouAnn Custer DVM, and her husband Edward Custer Ph.D. of West Brookfield, MA, and their children, Taylor Custer and his fiancé Kelsey of New York City, and Patrick Custer of Washington, DC. She also leaves her step-children Susan Mann and her husband Mike of Midlothian, VA, Mignon Osmer of Cutchogue, NY, and Thomas Blalock, II, and his wife Lauren of Fredericksburg, VA; her grandchildren, Chad Osmer of Cutchogue, NY, Mikayla Osmer and her fiancé Eli of Plattsburgh, NY, and Mallory Verastegui and her husband Jesse of Potsdam, NY, Katherine, Thomas, and Conner Blalock, all of Fredericksburg, VA, as well as her great-grandchildren, Ezra Osmer, Bodhi, and Vexleigh Verastegui, all of Potsdam, NY.

Helen grew up in rural West Virginia on a 150-acre farm. As a toddler, she called herself "Honey" because she could not pronounce Helen. From that point on, Honey became her family nickname. She developed a profound love for animals on the farm. She often nursed orphaned or ill baby animals back to health, to her mother's dismay, in the family home.

Helen's love for education was heavily influenced by her father, who was her teacher and principal in grade school. Early on, she recognized teachers' enormous impact on shaping and influencing the students' lives before them.

Helen graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education in 1960 and a Master of Arts Degree in Education in 1963 from Marshall University in Huntington, WV. Helen moved to Fredericksburg, VA, after marriage. Her career spanned 40 years, 9 as a teacher, 16 as an Assistant Principal in the Fredericksburg, VA area, and 15 years as the Principal of Robert E. Lee Elementary School in Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA. Throughout her career, Helen was a "devout advocate for children of all ages." One of her favorite quotes was, "I never had children of my own, but I always had a child on my hip."

Helen's influence extended beyond her students. She was a friend and mentor to her fellow teachers and paraprofessionals in education. Her favorite poem, given to her by her father, "The Bridge Builder" by Will Allen Dromgoole, reflects her love for children and their future. We encourage all to read this poem to understand her compassion, empathy, and devotion to education. Helen retired from Education in June of 2000. After the death of her husband in 2004, she moved to North Brookfield, MA, to be closer to her niece and her family.

Helen's faith was a cornerstone of her life. She was a member of both Pilgrim Baptist Church in North Brookfield and Travelers Rest Baptist Church in Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA. Her funeral service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Pilgrim Baptist Church Capital Improvement Fund, P.O. Box 185, North Brookfield, MA 01535, or Travelers Rest Baptist Church, 6823 Partlow Rd., Spotsylvania, VA 22551.

Helen's urn will be laid to rest in Laurel Hill Memorial Park in Spotsylvania, Virginia.

Varnum Funeral Home, Inc., 43 East Main St., in West Brookfield is assisting her family with arrangements.

An online guestbook is available at varnumfuneralhome.com