Helen Lou (Johnson/Lambert) Matkins

Helen Lou (Johnson/ Lambert) Matkins, age 93, of Purdin, passed away at Morningside Center in Chillicothe Friday morning, October 30, 2020.

A funeral service will be Tuesday, November 3, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. at Wright Funeral Home in Brookfield with Pastor Joe Cuminale officiating.  Burial will be in Purdin Cemetery in Purdin. The family will receive friends Monday evening from 6:00 until 8:00 at the funeral home.

Memorials to Purdin Cemetery or Purdin Community Center may be left at or mailed to Wright Funeral Home, P.O. Box 496, Brookfield, MO 64628.

Helen Lou, daughter of Guy and Elizabeth (Alexander) Johnson, was born December 19, 1926 in Purdin.  On August 9, 1947, she married Calvin H. Lambert who preceded her in death on July 30, 1954.  On April 9, 1955, she married William “Bill” Matkins who preceded her in death on March 28, 2013.

Helen lived in the Purdin community all her life.  She graduated from Purdin High School in 1944 and from Central Methodist College in Fayette in 1948 and then taught school in Browning and Linneus.  One of her biggest joys in life was playing the piano and organ in the United Methodist Church in Purdin; she started playing before her feet could touch the pedals, she also taught Sunday School for many years. 

She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Meadville; the Chapter of AM PEO for 50 years and a member of the Order of Eastern Star.

Survivors include two daughters, Linda Clark and husband, Parry and Ann Rusk and husband, Don all of Meadville; six grandchildren, Shannon Messersmith and husband, Ray of Jacksonville, Florida, Chad Jacobs and wife, Cindy of Thomaston, Georgia, Shawn Wood and wife, Jamie of Meadville, Timothy Wood of Meadville, Lindsey Moore and husband, Jason of Fairview, North Carolina, and Kelly Reynolds of Tazwell, Tennessee; nine great-grandchildren, Kendall Donaldson and husband, Seth of Orlando, Florida, Erin Messersmith of Jacksonville, Florida, Megahan Jacobs of Thomaston, Georgia, Patrick Jacobs of Thomaston, Georgia, Kasie Boyd and friend, Chris Bell of Waverly, Hannah Boyd and friend, Will Coburn of Columbia, Morgan Wood of Meadville, Ruby Moore of Fairview, North Carolina, and Thomas Reynolds of Slidell, Louisiana; three great great-grandchildren, Finley Bryson of Waverly, Jackson Coburn and Hadley Coburn both of Columbia; and one nephew, Dean Johnson and wife, Marlene of Purdin.

Her parents; one brother, Orlando Johnson; two sisters-in-law, Rose Johnson, and Marie Gooch; two nieces, Janet Faulkner and Dorothy Head also preceded her in death.

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