Helen Joyce Hart

Helen Joyce Hart, 83 danced her way to glory surrounded by her large loving family. She was the the daughter of Rev. (Manford) Grover “MG” Flowers and (Helen) Blanche Lantz Flowers, widow of Harry T. Hart and mother to Melanie (Mike) Chapman, Robin Workman, Tom (Wendy) Hart, Ana Smith, & Richard (Malissa) Richmond, all of whom she loved dearly. Her joys were her grandchildren, Nadia (Ricky), Andrea (Justin), Courtney, Hannah, Emily, Tristan, Tyson, Mindi, Lori, Nick, Seth (Rachel), Jacob, Gabriel, Grace, Jadyn, Addy, Preston, Patrick, & Taylor. Her precious gems were her great-grandchildren, Tyler, Isaac, Kelsey, Keirstin, Brooklynn, Erika, Chardae, Levi, Olivia, Daevon, Eli, Warren, Silas, Parker, Ada, Thatcher, & Kyree. She “adopted” many calling them “the children of her heart”. These “Little Darlings” and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends will treasure the memories of her antics and share the many ways she showed her love to everyone for generations to come.

Our Mom was a retired teacher for Cabell County Schools where she taught Middle/ Junior High students WV History, Civics and Government, and Science in Barboursville, WV. She loved her students when she had them and enjoyed their successes after. She set high standards and expectations for her students and her results were that her students annually became "Knights (Ladies) of the Golden Horseshoe" which is a prestigious academic award and title given to eighth grade students who excel in their studies of West Virginia. She had so many winners over the years that she, herself was knighted as a Lady of the Golden Horseshoe before she retired. She never stopped being a teacher, frequently informing many that she was “grading” them but never giving them less than a “B” because she appreciated the effort more than she minded the mistakes that came with learning. She taught us through her life that Love is a verb, it is always shown through actions. She stayed humble, never truly believing that she was loved as much as we tried to convince her she was - she just thought people were being nice.

She was an active member of more than 40 years of Cross Roads United Methodist Church and dedicated Bible scholar who recommended Psalms and Proverbs to anyone who asked. Over the years she had many hobbies: square dancing, cross stitching, youth leader, ceramics, knitting, and mission work including designing over 160 custom sleeping mats for the homeless. She believed that beauty should be brought to everyone with everything - even if it was something as simple as a mat made of grocery bags.

She always said that she lived a charmed life with few losses for which she was always grateful because she considered herself a big chicken. She was the last of her generation, being preceded in death by her beloved husband, her parents, and siblings: Grover Wesley “Bub” Flowers, William “Bill” Flowers, Virginia Iris Flowers Nixon, Benjamin Lantz Flowers, and James Allen Flowers, and her precious granddaughter, Brandi Jo Workman.

She loved the color yellow, daffodils and the WV state bird, the Cardinal. She asked that any memorial gifts be directed to Cross Roads UM Youth Group.

She considered her life well lived. Services to honor her life will be on Saturday, July 11: 2pm Family Reflection, 3pm Public Remembrance, and 4pm Celebration of Life services Cross Roads UM Church 3146 Saltwell Rd, Huntington WV 25705. The Celebration of Life service can be live-streamed from the Cross Roads UMC Facebook page - Cross Road UMC Huntington Facebook. Interment of her ashes will be at another time. Please feel free to wear yellow or other pastel in her honor.