Jul 28, 2022

Norma Jean Shaddock Helmick, 78, of Washington, passed away in the Washington Hospital ICU after an emergency medical occurrence in her home two days prior. She took flight and entered Heaven Tuesday, July 26, 2022, and has now met Jesus face-to-face.

Miss Norma, as she was known affectionately by all who knew her well, was born March 4, 1944, in Avella, the youngest of four daughters to Frank and Frances Malinkey Shaddock.

She was preceded in death by two sisters, Veronica Hughes and Barbara Eskins. One sister survives, Irene (Charles) Grady of Momence, Ill.

On October 12, 1963, in the West Washington Methodist Church, Norma married the man of her dreams, Pastor Fred Douglas Helmick, who preceded her in death 18 months prior and, no doubt, was waiting at Heaven’s gates to greet her when she arrived. In 1964 they welcomed a son, Clint, who survives.

Norma was a 1962 graduate of Avella High School. She was a pastor’s wife for 46 years. Mrs. Helmick has been a member of Wolfdale Bible Church since her husband was installed there as pastor in the early 1990s.

During life, Norma enjoyed the simplest things: she enjoyed watching the wildlife. She would watch and laugh as deer snuck in on corn she sat out in her yard or the squirrels nibbling at the nuts and seeds she threw out and the birds pecking at feeders she had placed all around her property. She loved going for rides, and she also loved children, dogs, the sunshine, the water, the Holidays, flowers, vegetable gardening, snowmen, cooking/baking, family, neighbors, auctions, yard sales, the county fair, area festivals, bingo, anything and everything in any shade of purple.

She attended morning services at church then went to lunch with her son prior to her final ride home. About an hour later she was rushed to the hospital.

Over the years, Mrs. Helmick held several employment positions. In the early 1970s she supported her husband while he attended college by working as the layaway manager at Hills Department Store in Lynchburg, Va., while also driving school bus for Lynchburg Christian Academy. She and her husband operated a motor route for the Daily Progress newspaper in Charlottesville, Va., for six years. Beginning in 1983, she became a supervisor at the Century Commons Personal Care facility in Washington until it closed. She then drove school bus for Trinity School District and Schweinebraten Bus Company for almost 30 years before retiring.

Friends and family will be received from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the time of a service, with Pastor Arthur Lockhart Sr. of Saltsburg officiating, Saturday, July 30, in Wolfdale Bible Church, 2025 Jefferson Avenue, Washington. Interment and committal will be held at 10:45 a.m. Monday, August 1, at Washington Cemetery, with Pastor Rick Kaufman officiating. Please meet at Piatt and Barnhill Funeral Home, 420 Locust Avenue, Washington, PA 15301, no later than 10:30 a.m. to proceed to the cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donations, in Norma’s name, to the Wolfdale Bible Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 60, Washington, PA 15301-0060.

Condolences may be expressed at www.piattandbarnhillfh.com. Piatt and Barnhill Funeral Directors, Inc., Charles R. Piatt, owner/supervisor and Andrew C. Piatt, director.