Helen McGovern
GREENVILLE — Helen Wanda Towery McGovern, 84, of Greenville, passed away Aug. 12, 2020. Helen was born in Greenville on Dec. 23, 1935, to William Curtis Towery and Myrtle Lee Burell Towery. She attended Greenville Public Schools, graduating from Greenville High School. She attended Mississippi Delta Junior College. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Greenville.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Marguerite Louise Towery Jeffcoat and Barbara Ann Towery Strother; a niece, Victoria Towery Coker; and a nephew, Andrew Towery.
She is survived by her companion, Charlie Rickard, of Greenville; one brother, John Curtis Towery (Claudine), of Memphis, TN; two nephews, Burell Leach (Janie), of Brandon, and William Leach, of Brandon; three nieces, Kitty Proctor (Winston), of Claudville, VA, LeAnne Wheat (Tim), of Munford, TN, and Laura Sparkman (Jim), of Hellertown, PA; and a host of great-nieces and nephews.
Helen had a successful career as a bookkeeper and businesswoman and was an active member of her community. At the age of 18, she became the manager of Mangles Department Store of Greenville. She owned and operated Photo Supply LTD with Julian Blakely for 31 years and founded McRi Videography. She served on the Greenville Chamber of Commerce for many years. She also founded La Cercle Francais du Delta, which sponsored scholarships to high school French students and trips to France. She was a devout Christian and often volunteered her service teaching Sunday School at the Presbyterian Church. She was an avid reader of Shakespeare, quoting sonnets and other poetry to friends and family. She was a talented writer and had many articles published in the editorials of the Delta Democrat-Times. She loved music and played Ragtime Piano, sharing these gifts with her family and friends.
A graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, at Lakeview Gardens Cemetery. Mortimer Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements.
