93 Years Ago

Of far more importance than the death of JFK was the birth of my mother, Helen Bernice Knepper (though she never liked her middle name). Born at home in rural Hustontown, Pennsylvania shortly before midnight on November 24, 1920 (20 minutes earlier than her twin sister, Harriet, conveniently giving each twin her own birthday). Helen grew up without her mother, who died before my mother could form any memories of her. The same was true of my father and I've always wondered whether their mutual lack of a maternal presence somehow drew them together. But like my father, Helen's father remarried, and also like her future husband, she grew very attached to her stepmother.

Because I wasn't blogging at the time of her death in 2007, I'll post her obituary here.

Helen K. (Knepper) Pryor, 86, passed away on Thursday, April 12, 2007 at Sentara Nursing Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Helen was born on November 24, 1920, just a few minutes before midnight and thus a day before her twin sister Harriet, who arrived 20 minutes later. She was born at home on the farm of her parents, Charles and Florence (Shaver) Knepper, in rural Fulton County, Pennsylvania. Helen grew up on the farm and helped her older brothers, Ned, Joel, David, Don, and Robert, with milking and other farm work. Her mother passed away when Helen was quite young and her older sisters, Anita, Edyth, and Phyllis, did much to raise her before her father remarried. Helen graduated from Hustontown High School in the spring of 1938 and later that year moved to the Radnor [Pennsylvania] area, where she lived with her older sister Phyllis and went to the Homewood Training School for Nurses. During World War II she was involved with the USO with Horace's stepmother, through whom she met her future husband. Helen and Horace were married on June 1, 1946, and lived in or around Radnor until 2005. They moved to Virginia Beach in May of 2006.

During her married life Helen was a homemaker, mother of two children, bookkeeper, and all-around office manager for Horace's businesses. Helen and Horace owned the Horace Pryor Co. in Wayne until they retired. They were very involved with several Presbyterian churches over the course of their lives and joined Proclamation Presbyterian Church in Bryn Mawr shortly after its inception. Helen enjoyed growing houseplants, watching birds, and combing the beach for interesting shells at their place on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Nothing delighted her more than watching her grandchildren. She experienced many of the typical infirmities of growing older but remained mentally sharp by working crossword puzzles and reading novels. Her health took a turn for the worse in early January 2007 and she passed away peacefully on the afternoon of April 12.

She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Horace, of Virginia Beach, Virginia; her daughter Lea, wife of Tim Craley, Radnor; her son, Scott, husband of LaDonna Pryor, Virginia Beach; her sister, Edyth Mosebey, of Wells Tannery, Pennsylvania; and her six grandchildren, Jeremy, Rachel, and Lisa Pryor; Katie, Sarah, and Meghan Craley.

Her funeral service was held on Monday, April 16, at Proclamation Presbyterian Church in Bryn Mawr, with the Rev. Paul L. Karlberg officiating. Interment was in Valley Forge Gardens in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.