HELEN MENDENHALL

1922-2019

Helen Elizabeth Mendenhall, 97, died July 20, 2019. She was born May 17, 1922, to the Rev. Dr. George N. Mendenhall and Mary Johnson Mendenhall in North Liberty, Iowa, the youngest of six children. She was raised in Fremont, Nebraska, and Sterling, Kansas. She graduated from Sterling High School and earned degrees from Sterling College (BA), U of Iowa (MA in French), U of Wisconsin (MA in English), and completed the course work for a PhD in World Literature at the U of Arkansas. Helen taught in Oregon, Washington, Ohio, and Alaska. She worked for the CIA in Washington DC; Saigon, Vietnam; Guatemala City, Guatemala; and Quito, Ecuador. She taught English for a year at Sterling College. After further graduate work at the University of Arkansas, she taught at the University of Central Arkansas, Texas A & I in Kingsville, Lamar University in Beaumont, and Houston Community College. Helen loved to travel, once studying for a year in Hamburg, Germany. She hitchhiked

around Europe for six weeks with a friend. She was interested in genealogy and regularly visited her “cousins” in Sweden and researched the Mendenhalls in England. She skied in the Alps, and owned a sailboat, a convertible, and a poodle. She took art classes, especially in watercolor and printmaking. She took up photography and won several local awards. She loved animals and nature. Helen had a season ticket to the ballet for thirty years. She took computer classes and learned to create newsletters, which she sent regularly to family and friends. She loved to entertain and hosted Christmas teas for decades. Her enthusiasm endeared her to her friends, family, and students. Many nieces and nephews have said, “She was my favorite aunt!”

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 24, 2019, at 2:00 pm at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church, 2400 Wilcrest Dr, Houston. Arrangements by Earthman Southwest Funeral Home.