Helen Landers

Benjamin Funeral Service - Nowata, Oklahoma - 918-273-2700............................ A graceful and kind woman, Helen Jane Paris Landers, 93, met Jesus face-to-face on Saturday, December 17, 2016. She was born on August 30, 1923, to Frances and Leslie Paris in Muskogee, Oklahoma. At the age of two, Helen's family moved to Oklahoma City where she completed her K-12 education graduating from Central High School in 1941. She then attended Cottey College in Nevada, MO, on a scholarship where she earned an Associate's degree. Later she graduated from the University of Texas in Austin where she received a B.A. and B.S. degree with a Sociology major and a minor in Psychology. Helen married William H. Landers, Jr., of Muskogee on January 25, 1947. They met the night he returned from serving 3 1/2 years in WWII at a Welcome Party. Together, they had three wonderful daughters, Louise, Laurie and Lisa. Before moving to Nowata in 1966, the family lived in Miami, OK. Helen had a long working career and spent 20 years employed by the Department of Human Services in Nowata where she was a social worker and Casework Supervisor before retirement. She served her community all her adult life through many organizations: United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women's Organization, Church Women United, PEO, and La Kee Kon Federated Women's Club. Helen held many leadership positions in these organizations and worked diligently to truly make a difference for others. She loved the local church and was an active member of the United Methodist Church all her life. Helen's passion was to share Christ's love by serving, leading and giving. She demonstrated this to her closest family and friends, or to a stranger on the street. She truly lived 1 Peter 4:10 sharing her abilities to help others and passing on God's many kinds of blessings. She was a friend to all and an example to the world with her kind words and loving actions. Helen was preceded in death by her sister Margaret Louise Paris Swirczynski, her parents, and husband W.H. Landers, Jr. Carrying on Helen's legacy are her three loving daughters: Louise Riffe of Nowata, Laurie McDonel of Jenks, and Lisa Kincaide and husband Steve of Nowata. She was always so proud of her five grandchildren: Jeremy Riffe and wife Christy of Houston, Texas, Allison Morris and husband Andrew of Edmond, Barrett Seal of Edmond, Grant Gingerich and wife Melissa of Claremore and Blake Gingerich and wife Carissa of Nowata. She was also blessed with eight great-grandchildren that brought a smile to her face when she saw them. Helen loved her five nephews and nieces and countless friends. In lieu of flowers, Helen wanted donations to be given to the Cookson Hills Center United Methodist Mission. Checks may be mailed to PO Box 130 Cookson, OK 74427, or you may give online at www.cooksonhillsmission.org. Helen wrote, "Family, my church, and my community were what I lived for with God's help and guidance." A Celebration of Life service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 7, 2017, at the 1st United Methodist Church of Nowata. Arrangements have been entrusted to Benjamin Funeral Service. Share memories and sign the online guestbook at www.honoringmemories.com.

Service Details

Saturday, January 7th, 2017 10:30am, First United Methodist Church Nowata