Eschol Collins Helveston was welcomed into Heaven early Monday morning, March 25, 2019. She was born Eschol Anita Collins to Ulysses S. Collins and Beulah Hosey Collins on May 1, 1923. Eschol was preceded in death by her husband, James Ransom “Jake” Helveston in 1991.
Eschol grew up in Ellisville and Laurel, Mississippi. She graduated from Gardner High School in 1942. She played clarinet in the marching band and often spoke of the thrill of travelling to New Orleans with the band by train to perform at the 1939 Toy Bowl in which the Laurel Golden Tornadoes defeated Holy Cross.
After graduating from Gardner, Eschol attended Jones County Junior College and subsequently the Soule Business College in New Orleans. With her Soule diploma in hand, Eschol began a thirty-two year career as a Chancery Court Reporter. Among the Chancellors that she served were the Honorable Roy Noble and the Honorable Shannon Clark.
Eschol was so proficient in her work that she was invited annually to record proceedings at the Mississippi Bar Association conventions. Eschol and Jake were members of the First United Methodist Church in Laurel where they reared their boys and taught them to love God. Eschol enjoyed playing bridge with numerous friends and having her grandchildren stay with her so she could spoil them without interference from their parents.
Eschol spent her final two years in West Point, Mississippi cared for by her son, Jim, her daughter-in-law, LaDonna and her loving care givers, Faye Lee, Shirley Flagg and Alma Brown. Eschol also enjoyed the kind and professional care of Hospice Nurse, Diane Triplett and the compassionate ministries of Chaplin Clark of Baptist Hospice, Reverend Darian Duckworth of the First United Methodist Church of West Point and FUMC Director of Music, Rachel Wood. Eschol is survived by two sons, James Collins Helveston (LaDonna) of West Point, Mississippi; and John Knox Helveston (Lucy) of Laurel, Mississippi; six grandchildren, James Campbell Helveston (Suzanne) of Oxford, Mississippi; Jordan Collins Helveston of New Orleans, Louisiana; Jake Helveston (Falon) of Birmingham, Alabama; Jason Helveston (Laura) of Chicago, Illinois; JoAnna Grafton-Cardwell (Patrick) of South Hadley, Massachusetts; Joel Helveston of San Jose, California and ten great grandchildren.
Services for Eschol will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Laurel, Mississippi on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at 3:00 P.M. with visitation from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM also at the church. Memory Chapel of Laurel is in charge of arrangements. Pallbearers will be Eschol’s grandsons and her great Godsons, Thomas Grayson Easterling, IV and Harlan Jackson Easterling.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Laurel Christian Food Mission, 2507 Moose Drive, Laurel, MS 39440 On-line donations may be made at www. christianfoodmission.org To sign the online guest book, visit www. memorychapellaurel.com.
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