HELEN H. O'NEAL

Helen H. O'Neal, age 97, of Colquitt and formerly of Donalsonville, passed away Monday, January 15, 2007, at Miller Nursing Home.

Funeral services were held Thursday, January 18, at 3:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Donalsonville with Dr. Ron McCaskill and Rev. Luther Hastey officiating. Burial followed in the Friendship Cemetery.

Helen Hoffman O'Neal was born March 26, 1909, at Gordon, AL, to the late Frank C. Hoffman and Sarah Florence Dawsey Hoffman. She was married to the late James Harry O'Neal, February 14, 1936. Helen attended Norman Park Junior College 1926-1927 and received a BA degree from Mercer University in 1935. The summer of 1957 she was a house mother for Dappa Alpha Fraternity at the University of Georgia. She received a MA degree from the University of Georgia in 1958. She taught elementary school at Attapulgus 1929-1936 and was Seminole County Visiting Teacher from 1950-1975. She was a member of the Seminole County Education Association, PTA, and Georgia Visiting Teachers Association. She was the oldest living member of the First Baptist Church, sang in the choir for many years and was a member of the Pure Gold Sunday School Class. She was cited in Who's Who in Georgia in 1982, a compilation of biographical information on outstanding citizens of the State of Georgia.

She leaves to cherish her memory a daughter, Sara Ann Keaton, and husband Ferrell, Colquitt; one son: James C. O'Neal, Divide, CO; two grandsons: Chris Keaton, Colquitt, and Patrick Keaton (Marianne), Matthews, NC; and three greatgrandsons: Caleb, Joseph and Joshua Keaton. She is also survived by a sister Muriel Hoffman Thomas, Jacksonville, FL.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one daughter, Erin Anita O'Neal; two sisters, Elois Hoffman Connelly and Wilma Hoffman Brinkley.

Pallbearers were William Bramlett, Louis Bonner, Broaddus Simpson, David Fain, Carl Fain and William Arden Parker. Honorary pallbearers were Cecil Lunsford, Ladon Swanner, Espy Gray, Ed King, Lewis Godby and Bill Fowler.

Evans-Skipper Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.