Neola Helmbold

Neola Helmbold, a long-time resident of Hoover, AL, died June 6, 2017, at age 97. She loved her God, her husband, and her family. Neola loved to serve her Savior. She is preceded in death by her husband, F. Wilbur Helmbold and an infant son, Arthur Joseph Helmbold.

Born in 1919 in Kingston, PA, Neola moved to Dothan, AL, with her new husband, F. Wilbur Helmbold in 1942, when he was stationed at Napier Field in the Army-Air Corps during WWII. Neola worked as a secretary for various companies until the mid-1950’s, when her husband’s job moved the family to Birmingham when he became librarian at Howard College (now Samford University). Neola worked as church secretary at Lakeside Baptist Church and later as a clerk at Women's Missionary Union headquarters. In the 1970's, Neola became owner/manager of Banner Bookstore in Cullman, AL. After selling the business following her husband’s death, Neola worked as volunteer secretary for Shades Crest Baptist Church, where she had been a member since the early 1950’s. She continued in that position well into the 1980’s when she was over 70 years old. Neola loved missions and served as the WMU director at Shades Crest in her early years and as the Girls in Action director for the Birmingham Baptist Association during that time. In addition, she and her husband ran a small publishing company out of their home.

Neola was also very involved in the genealogical research that her husband loved so well. Their interest in genealogy began with limited knowledge Neola had about her own family, since her mother, Marjorie Brobst, died when Neola was an infant, and her adoptive parents, George and Alice Wood were both deceased by the summer after she graduated from high school.

Neola is survived by her children, Neola Jean Trapnell (Maj. Ret. Robert N. Trapnell) of Huntsville; Martha Witt Evans (James F. Evans) of Birmingham; and Dale Marjorie Cutrer (Dr. Terry H. Cutrer) of New Albany, MS; her grandchildren, Kimberly Trapnell Appleton (Scott) of Huntsville; Christopher Evans (Robin) of Arlington, TX; Richard Trapnell of Huntsville; Meredith Evans Padgett (Brantley) of Birmingham; Carrie Cutrer West (Barak) of Gastonia, NC; Cassie Cutrer Browning (Matt) of Weddington, NC; and Corrie Cutrer Kiel (Jonathan) of Louisville, KY; and 13 great-grandchildren, Jonythan Appleton, Aubrey Kate Evans, Rhys Evans, Corah Padgett, Laney West, Caroline West, Meredith West, James West, Jack Browning, Lucie Browning, Samuel Kiel, Miriam Kiel, and Charlotte Kiel.

Visitation will be on Friday, June 9, 2017, at 2 PM at Shades Crest Baptist Church, with the funeral immediately following at 3 PM.

Memorial gifts may be made in Neola's honor to a church or charity of your choice that spreads the Gospel of Christ.

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