Helen Rhodes

Parents

The Late Frampy Cope & Johnnie Mae Johnson Cope

Life’s Journey

Helen was born in Lake County, Florida on March 12, 1949. She was educated in Hillsborough County and was a foster daughter of Ms. Mattie Roberts. She accepted Christ at an early age and attended Allen Temple AME Church. Helen spent most of her teenage years in Tampa Florida before pursuing and chasing her dreams of music. She was a part of a one-hit wonder group called the Electric-Lites under the stage name “Candi”.

Helen never set up a small stage in life. She was constantly pursuing greater and better because she had three small kids to feed. She decided to relocate to New Orleans and attended Meadows Draughon Business School. She was proud of her business degree, but if you knew Mrs. Helen, moving around was the easiest thing she knew to do. But she didn’t move quite fast enough and Willie Rhodes caught her before she could get away. They married and journeyed together for 50 years. As faithful members of Little Zion Baptist Church under the leadership of the late Reverend Walter Hardy, Jr. Helen served as part of the women’s ministry.

She loved to travel, meet new people, and frequent local casinos because she always felt a jackpot was going to pour out to her for the gifting of others. When it didn’t happen, she began full-time employment at the Sheraton hotel as a Housekeeping Supervisor for 4 years. She later found her sustained passion of caring for others in the healthcare field. Helen loved caring for others and did it so selflessly.

During the aftermath of hurricane Katrina in 2005, Helen, along with her husband, children and grandchildren relocated to Dallas, Texas. Helen and her family united with Cornerstone Community Church and remained faithful to the ministry under the current leadership of Pastor Broderick Gerald Sr. and care watch of First Lady Jonika Gerald. She served faithfully on the Deaconess Board, We-R-One Ministry and Cornerstone Mistress of Ceremony.

Helen’s resilience would not allow her to be idle and because of that she diligently dedicated 13 years of service to Faith Work Inc. as a foster parent. She was extremely fond of her entire Faith Work family whom she considered kindred beyond her years of work. Helen lastly worked as a host home provider working with individuals with intellectual disability, a work she loved to the very end.

Helen will be dearly missed by her family, friends, and all who knew her. Her warmth, love, laughter, and sarcasm will forever live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.

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