Obituary of Margaret Louise Helmick

Margaret Louise Helmick

January 30, 1940 – November 25, 2020

Margaret Louise Helmick (Peggy) went home to the Lord on November 25, 2020.  How does one capture the essence of a person so unique, so vibrant, and so fully loved in the few words of an obituary?

Peggy was born in Charleston, SC on January 30, 1940 to Fletcher M. and Ethel L. Lamkin.  Throughout her childhood, from 1940-1958, Peggy moved around the U.S., following her father’s U.S. Navy assignments.  She attended schools in Oakland, CA., Newport, RI., Key Biscayne, Fl.,  Albuquerque, NM., and Camp Hill, PA.  In 1961, Peggy graduated from Duke University.  In 1962, she married Marshall H. Brooks, whom she had met at Duke.  Peggy and Marshall spent several years in Arlington, Va., ultimately settling in Vienna, Va., where they raised their daughters, Meg and Molly.  Peggy retired to Hedgesville, WV in 1997 with her beloved 2nd husband, Bert Helmick. 

Peggy trusted and followed the Lord Jesus.  She grew ever closer to Him through worship, Bible studies, and classes at Hedgesville Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Martinsburg.  At Hedgesville Presbyterian Church, Peggy was an ordained Deacon and Elder and served as church treasurer.  She baked communion bread, helped with Hedgesville Heritage Days, and faithfully drove to Hedgesville from her home at The Woods to water the church’s new tree plantings. In her final days here, she wondered how the trees were faring (they are beautiful and healthy). At her assisted living facility, Peggy advocated for a Bible study and faithfully participated in it for as long as she was able.  She was known there as a prayer warrior and often gave away devotional and theological books to all who expressed interest. 

Peggy loved her daughters and consistently demonstrated her love through her life of service to them.  She was an amazing Mom.  Peggy enjoyed a successful career as a teacher before her daughters were born and as a CPA after they were grown, but always attested that being a Mom was the best job.  Peggy gave a precious gift to Meg and Molly by choosing to stay home throughout their childhood. She served as class mom for many years, she coached the girls’ softball team, she drove the “mom taxi” all around town all day long, and she always opened her home to her daughters’ friends.  She was “mom” to a few friends who often stopped by for dinner or just to hang out, unannounced but always welcomed. Even when Meg and Molly were grown, Peggy was unfailingly available whenever her daughters needed her.  She was their chief encourager, wise and wickedly funny advisor, shoulder to cry on, and faithful confidante.

Peggy’s three granddaughters – Hannah, Maggie, and Carly – called her Grande.  Early in their lives, Grande recognized each granddaughter’s individual talents and gifts and she always encouraged them to thrive in their uniqueness.  Grande taught the girls about color and how to paint.  She introduced them to classical music and used solfège to teach them to sing.  Each year, on each girl’s birthday, Grande drove almost 2 hours to their homes to personally deliver her gifts to them.  She celebrated with them for a few hours and then drove home. Grande attended the girls’ piano recitals and basketball games, even when it was physically difficult and painful for her to drive in the car or sit for a long time. Some of her granddaughters’ favorite memories are of their annual Thanksgiving trip to the Outer Banks with Grande.  Grande would rise early with the girls to greet the sun, watch Fantasia with them in the evenings, and help them use a slingshot to shoot peanuts into the air for the seagulls to catch.  Grande’s impact on her granddaughters is inestimable and her love for them immeasurable.

To her siblings and friends, Peggy was known as “the smartest person in the room,” an expert negotiator, a skilled connector of people, a natural leader and a fierce competitor.  She pursued and mastered a vast array of skills and hobbies.  At age 47, Peggy passed the CPA exam on her first attempt, launching a successful second career as a corporate and individual tax adviser.  She was a formidable bridge player, competitive tennis player, and accomplished golfer. Peggy also excelled in her artistic endeavors.  Throughout her life, Peggy knitted beautiful sweaters for her daughters and granddaughters.  Later in life, she learned to weave and it became a passion.  Peggy and Bert created an art space in the main area of their home for Peggy’s loom, skeins of yarn, and shuttles (which Bert made by hand). She won several awards for her weaving.  Peggy also learned to sketch in pencil, draw in chalk, and paint in watercolor.  

Although she had a world of skills, talents, and interests, Peggy’s abiding interests were classical music and reading. Her home was always filled with the beautiful sounds of Sirius XM’s Symphony Hall and she could tell you every piece, every composer, and which orchestra was playing each one.  Her favorite composer was Johann Sebastian Bach.

Peggy never took life too seriously and she never let life’s challenges defeat her.  Her quick wit, cool logic, and keen sense of the absurd gave her a unique knack for making a fun celebration of any situation. Life is much grayer without Peggy.  She was deeply loved and is deeply missed.  We look forward with assurance to reuniting with her in Eternity.

Peggy was predeceased by her beloved husband, Herbert H. Helmick (Bert), and by her parents.  Survivors include her daughters, Meg Novak (Jeff) and Molly Lepage; stepson, Paul Helmick (Janet); stepdaughter, Catherine Helmick Shenk (Norman); granddaughters, Hannah LePage, Maggie Novak, and Carly Lepage; brothers, Fletcher Lamkin (Cindy) and Griffin Lamkin (Barb); and sister Patricia Lange.

Service Information

A Celebration of Life and Eternal Life will be held on November 8, 2021 at 1:00pm at Hedgesville Presbyterian Church, 202 E. Main St. Hedgesville, WV 25427.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to:

Hedgesville Presbyterian Church, PS Box 18, Hedgesville, WV 25427

Or to:

Loudoun Volunteer Caregivers, the non-profit organization that, for 36 consecutive days, provided rides to Peggy for her daily radiation treatments.

Loudoun Volunteer Caregivers