Helen Lowdermilk

Helen Kendall DeLamar Lowdermilk of Little Rock formerly of Arkadelphia, passed away October 23, 2007 at Hospice Home Care in Little Rock, Arkansas.

"Tootsie", as she was known to friends and family, was born on February 16, 1925 in Arkadelphia to Ethel Brown and Frank S. DeLamar. Upon being orphaned at the age of 17 when her mother passed away, Tootsie lived with her older sister Frances "Sister" and husband John Oliver "Buck" Buckley Sr. and their two children, J. O. Jr. "Joey" and Kathryn Kendall "Kenny" Buckley.

Tootsie attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and graduated in 1946. She lived with her older brother Brown Bernard DeLamar, his wife Martha Jane and their son Allen, in Fayetteville during her years at college until she moved into the Pi Beta Phi house on campus. She returned home after graduation to marry the love of her life and the boy across the street, James B. Lowdermilk Jr. on December 18, 1946.

Following Jimmy's early death in 1965, Tootsie reared and nurtured two daughters alone as a widowed young mother. She volunteered for a variety of organizations throughout her life and looked after and cared for many of her older friends and relatives as they aged. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church and enjoyed volunteering at the Baptist Hospital in Arkadelphia before she moved to Little Rock in 2002. She spent the last 5 years in Little Rock living across the street from her daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter enjoying her new neighbors and friends. She also had the opportunity to reconnect and spend time with one of her oldest and dearest friends, Dorothy Jane Reamey while in Little Rock.

Tootsie was preceded in death by her parents; husband Jimmy; daughter Lynn; sister Frances and brother-in-law J. O. Buckley, Sr.; brother Brown and sister-in-law Martha Jane DeLamar; parents-in-law Aggie and "Mr. Jim" Lowdermilk, Sr.; nephew Allen DeLamar; and sister-in-law Katherine Murry DeLamar.

She is survived by her daughter Jamie Lowdermilk and son-in-law Jeffrey Parry, along with granddaughter Jalin Lan Parry of Little Rock; niece Allison Echols and husband Ronnie of Arkadelphia; niece Kenny Pickens; nephew J. O. Buckley, Jr.; niece Nancy DeLamar, all of Little Rock; nieces Jill DeLamar Smith of Sherwood (J.D.) and Carole DeLamar Traphagen (Kip) of Fayetteville; great nephew Chris Echols (Shari) and great niece Meredith Bell (Blake) of Arkadelphia; great niece Megan Schroeder (Trey) of Texarkana, Texas; great nephew Jay Pickens (Karen) of Pickens; great niece Kendall Jacobs (John) and great nephew Drew Pickens (Ashley) of Little Rock and ; a host of great, great nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held at Ruggles-Wilcox Funeral Home in Arkadelphia from 10:00- 12noon on Saturday, October 27, 2007. A memorial service will be held at 2:30 PM Saturday, October 27, 2007 at the First Presbyterian Church with Rev. Harriett Akins-Banman officiating. No graveside services will be held. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Holt International Children's Services, Heifer International, or the Humane Society of Clark County.