R E Helsley

R E Helsley, son of Raymond Elbert and Eve E. (Lakey) Helsley, was born Dec. 11, 1932, in Wright County, Missouri, near Hartville and passed peacefully into Heaven on July 27, 2025. He was 92 years, 7 months and 16 days. Early in 1952, a beautiful young lady started attending church, and R E said she was more beautiful than any flower he had ever seen. On their first date, March 1, 1952, he knew he had met the one God had for him. Just three months and one week later, R E was united in marriage to Rose Faye Young on June 8, 1952. In April 1953, God blessed them with a baby girl named Kathy, and seven years later God gave them a son named Mark. They brought them great joy and they loved them dearly. In 1951, R E was offered a job with good wages in Kansas. He would often tell how he was very tempted to take it, but the job would require him to work on Sundays and he knew he would get out of church. He never regretted his decision to turn that job down. R E went home to be employed at Se-Ma-No Electric for 23 years before he left to become a full-time pastor in 1979. R E was saved as a young man and was a member of the Wolf Creek Free Will Baptist Church. He answered the call to preach and preached his first sermon Dec. 31, 1961. He was ordained December 16, 1962, at Wolf Creek Free Will Baptist Church. Throughout his 50 years of ministry, Rose stood faithfully by his side. He pastored four Free Will Baptist churches: Union Grove (Caudle), New Home, Wolf Creek, and Oak Grove. During his 50 years of ministry, he officiated 724 funerals, preached 385 revivals, and 60 weddings. Even after he officially retired, he went on to influence many lives, most recently witnessing to the workers and residents in the nursing home where he resided the past three years of his life. Countless souls were saved, touched, and lives changed throughout his ministry. R E was a godly man of great faith. He was humble, kind, and cared a great deal about others.
Besides his parents, R E was preceded in death by his wife, Rose; four siblings, Oka Calhoun and her husband, Manie, Dorothy McGaw and her husband, Vance, Otis Helsley and his wife, Jean, and Howard Helsley; and one niece, Glenda Keith. R E is survived by one daughter, Kathy Garrison and her husband, Roger, of Mansfield; one son, Mark Helsley and his wife, Tresa, of Mansfield; three grandsons, Steven Garrison and his wife, Heather, Jeremy Garrison and his wife, Rachelle, and Joseph Garrison and his wife, Kelli; seven great-grandchildren, Kaliesha, Kayla, Carter, Kiersten, Aiden, Brandon and Lukas; and four great-great-grandchildren, Olivia, Katherine, Mac and Graham; and many other relatives and friends who will miss him dearly. Visitation for the Rev. R.E. Helsley was held Thursday, July 31, 2025, from 6-8 p.m. at Wolf Creek Free Will Baptist Church in Mansfield. Funeral services for Mr. Helsley were held Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, at 10 a.m. also at the church with the Rev. Charles Felker, Carter Garrison and the Rev. Stanley Jones officiating. Recorded song selections by Bob and Glenda Keith were “I Want To Meet You In Heaven Someday” and “If Men See Jesus.” Other song selections were “I’d Rather Have Jesus” sung by Carter Garrison and a Hymn Medley sung by Carter and Kiersten Garrison. Serving as pallbearers were Jeremy Garrison, Joe Garrison, Jonah Gray, Britt Keith, Brent Keith and Kevin Martin. Honorary pallbearers were Roger Garrison, Mark Helsley, Steven Garrison, Keith Vawter, Larry Lawson, John Miller, Curt Calhoun, Lynn Helsley and Bob Keith. Burial was in Wolf Creek Cemetery under the direction of Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home of Mansfield. Memorial contributions may be made to Wolf Creek Cemetery. Online condolences: www.craighurttfuneralhome.com.