Helen Tedards

Helen Lucile Bowen Tedards of Greenville, widow of Jack Harding Tedards, died February 28, 2014, at Emeritus at Greenville. Helen was born in Greenville August 17, 1923, the daughter of the late Clarence Edward Bowen and Laura Haas Bowen. She graduated from Greenville High School in 1940 and from Furman University in 1944. She lived in Greenville all of her life except for brief periods when she and Jack lived in Virginia, Kansas and Missouri while Jack served in the Army during World War II. Jack and Helen married on June 1, 1944. They enjoyed a wonderful marriage of over 57 years until Jack's death in 2002. A sweet and caring person, Helen centered her life around her family and church. She was a full-time mother and homemaker while her and Jack's children were young. Afterwards, she was employed by the Greenville News-Piedmont Company, working at different times as a proofreader, as receptionist for the news room, as the librarian for the newspaper, and as the person in charge of the TV Spotlight section of the paper. She later worked as the librarian for the law firm of Leatherwood Walker Todd and Mann. Helen was a loyal and active member of Earle Street Baptist Church, which she attended for more than 80 years. She served as one of the teachers of her adult Sunday School class for a number of years. In her free time Helen loved to read and watch the Atlanta Braves. Helen is survived by her and Jack's three children: Jack H. "Ted" Tedards, Jr., and his wife Rosalind, of Greenville; Frank Randolph Tedards of Greenville; and Rachel Tedards Keeney, her husband Donald, and their son Jackson, currently of Austin, Texas. She is also survived by her brother, C. Edward Bowen and his wife Frances, of Herndon, Virginia; and by four nieces and eight nephews. Helen was predeceased by a sister, Annie Laura Bowen Bridges. Services will be Friday, March 7 at 3:00 p.m. at Earle Street Baptist Church. A family burial will precede the service at Woodlawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends after the service in the church fellowship hall. Memorials may be made to Earle Street Baptist Church, 225 W. Earle Street, Greenville SC 29609.