Helen Horn

Mary Helen Duggar, passed away, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014 at her home. She was born on July 3, 1926, in South Pittsburg, Tenn., to the late Charles Alvin and Emma McGraw Duggar. Her father sold insurance in South Pittsburg for 30 years and her mother was a faithful wife and loving mother. Her brothers were Joe Alvin Duggar, Charles Dallas Duggar and sister, Emma Coleen Hawk. She attended and graduated from South Pittsburg High School and attended David Lipscomb College. She did office work at Lodge Manufacturing Company, Holproof Hosiery Mill, Provident Life and Accident Insurance and worked for the CIA at Oak Ridge, Tennessee before her marriage. In 1950 she married Howard Thomas Horn and they had two children, Charles Terry Horn and Cheri Ann Horn. She was married for 59 years. In 1956 she went to work for her husband and worked for him 53 years in Western Auto, Horn Realty and Horn Furniture. She was a member of the Church of Christ and had served as a teacher. She was treasurer of the PTA at South Pittsburg, President of the League of Women Voters, and President of the Sequatchie Valley Golf Course auxiliary. It always amazed me when many people seemed to worship some faraway celebrity, when we have heroes that walk among us every day. Our loved ones, our fathers, our mothers, who do heroic deeds every day to feed us, clothe us, comfort us and protect us. Such a person was my Mom. Once, many years ago, while on vacation and walking down the streets of a small town, we happened upon a young couple who were obviously very impoverished and in distress. The young woman was holding a newborn in her arms, while her husband desperately pleaded on the phone for help. "Please, please. Can you give just a little something, at least enough to get the baby some milk?" It was obvious the answer on the other end of the line was "no". My mother overhearing the conversation walked up and handed the man $20.00. Twenty dollars then was like a hundred today. The young man overcome with emotion started shouting excitedly, "some lady just walked up and gave me $20. Some lady, out of nowhere just walked up and gave me $20. Oh my! Oh my!" My mother just smiled and walked away. As a child, I was hugely impressed with this act. I saw her do dozens of acts of kindness thru the years, including donating anonymously to children's charities and buying grave markers for those who couldn't afford it. As a child of the depression, she taught us to be mindful of others, especially the less fortunate, for that could just as easily be us. That, in essence, is who my mother was. Mrs. Horn was preceded in death by her husband, Howard T. Horn; parents, Charles Alvin and Emma McGraw Duggar; brothers, Joe and Dallas Duggar; sister, Coleen Hawk; nephew, Keith Duggar and niece, Pat Layne. She is survived by her children, Charles Terry Horn and Cheri Ann Horn, of Bridgeport, Ala.; sisters-in-law, Louise Duggar, of Cleveland, Tenn., and Doris Horn, of Cookeville, Tenn.; nieces, Emma Laura Lacy, Jo Carol Hisaw, Beth Waters, Jill Arnhart and nephews, Shannon, Doug, and Brian Duggar, Don and Chad Gaffin, T. G., Howard, Mark, and Jerry Horn. The family will receive friends from 3-8 p.m. CST, Tuesday, Jan. 7, at the funeral home, and Wednesday from Noon until time of the service at the church. Funeral services will be conducted from the Bridgeport Church of Christ, located at the corner of Diamond Ave. and Hwy 277. at 1 p.m. CST, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014, with Minsters Ed Powell, Billy Watkins and Danny Rader. Interment will follow in Sequatchie Valley Memorial Gardens To send online condolences visit www.tatefh.com. Arrangements by Tate Funeral Home, LLC, Jasper, TN 423-942-9500.