Helen June (Arner) Swank, 88, of Graysville, Pa., passed away peacefully on Feb. 4, 2023, at J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital.
Helen was one of nine children and grew up on a dairy farm near Nescopeck, Pa. She is survived by her two sisters, Dorothy (William) Slusser, of Sun City, Ariz., and Winifred Wood, of Magnolia, Del. Perfectly capturing her loving and sweet personality, Helen’s family nicknamed her “Honey” when she was young.
Helen met her husband, Rollin, at a 4-H Leadership Conference at Penn State. Last August, they celebrated 67 years of marriage. Helen was a wonderful and loving mother to Cynthia Swank, of Baltimore, and Joseph (Amy) Swank, of Davidsonville, Md. She treasured her grandchildren, Victoria Grace, a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Sarah Yulin, a junior at George Washington University; and, Joseph Colton, a freshman at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Helen was extremely talented and excelled at many things — sewing of all kinds, making amazing quilts, refinishing furniture, growing gorgeous flowers, beautifully decorating her home and successfully relocating her family numerous times. As Joseph would say, “My mother can do anything, if you have enough time.” Helen cherished every holiday spent with her family, especially making Christmas extra special and memorable.
Helen earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, with highest honors from Olivet Nazarene University. She spent her career shaping the hearts and minds of her students. She loved teaching in Illinois, Iowa and finally at Cheat Lake Elementary School in Morgantown.
Helen adored every moment spent with her grandchildren, from taking them swimming in the summer to playing board games and cooking with them in the winter. With her children, grandchildren and students, she surrounded them with love, a quiet approach to helping them make good choices and celebrating their successes.
Helen was an avid traveler — across the United States, accompanying Rollin to East Germany, traveling to China to support Cynthia’s adoption of Sarah and exploring Australia with her daughter and granddaughter, Sarah.
Helen was a member of First Lutheran Church of Washington, Pa.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice in Helen’s honor.
A private ceremony will be held at Behm Funeral Home, 182 W. High St., Waynesburg, PA 15370 and final internment will be near the church where Helen and Rollin were married in St. Johns, Pa.
