Helen Chambers Lipsey

Helen Chambers Lipsey, age 93, of Gatesville, passed away Monday, April 2, 2018. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, April 9, 2018 at First Baptist Church of Gatesville with Dr. Chad Bertrand officiating.  Private burial will follow at Restland Cemetery.  The family will receive visitors one hour prior to the service and one hour following the service in the First Baptist Church Parlor.Helen was born on December 31, 1924 in Gatesville, Texas.  She was the daughter of the late Thomas Alexander and Sara Frances (Sally) Black Chambers.  Helen graduated from Gatesville High School in 1943.  She married James C. “Jack” Lipsey on December 27, 1945.  Following the death of their son, Danny, at age three in 1953, Helen returned to school to be a medical technician hoping to help other mothers facing the journey of a child with leukemia.  She began working at the Lowrey Clinic in 1955 and retired with 31 years of experience.  In 1969, Helen started a new business, Helen’s Confections, in which she baked birthday, anniversary, and wedding cakes and catered events, receptions, and parties with the help of her husband, Jack.  Helen has been a member of First Baptist Church of Gatesville since November 1946, serving in many capacities including WMU President and WMU Associational Director, choir member, and Chairperson for the FBC Sesquicentennial Celebration in 2006.  Helen enjoyed serving in the community and had leadership roles in Firebells, (Auxiliary of the Volunteer Firemen), Business and Professional Women, Coryell Memorial Auxiliary, and Morris Federation.  She enjoyed many hobbies including quilting, crochet, oil painting, china painting, sewing clothes, and creating church and family history books on the computer.She was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, James C. “Jack” Lipsey, in 2011; son, Danny Ray Lipsey; brothers, Otis Chambers and B. E. Chambers; and sisters, Jewel Brown and Polly Bunnell.Survivors include her children, Dianna Thompson and husband, Mike of Woodway and Tom Lipsey and wife, Connie of Houston; grandchildren, Jeanne Jester of South Africa, Amy Jester Thomas and husband, Michael of Brownwood, Tracy Lipsey Brigman and husband, Ivan of Maypearl, and Michael Lipsey and wife, Erin of Rowlett; step-granddaughters, Dr. Tanna Thompson of Cedar Park and Nikki Cheek and husband, Brian of Cedar Park; and 10 great-grandchildren.Memorials may be made to Jeanne Jester South Africa Missions, please make check payable to Pursue Missions International, P.O. Box 53850, Lubbock, TX 79453 with a note attached for South Africa Missions or First Baptist Church, 912 E. Main St., Gatesville, TX 76528.