×

Gould gave to family, community

FAIRMONT — “We can’t help everyone, but we can help someone.” – Ronald Reagan

In the case of avid community supporter and family woman Helen Gould, she helped a lot of “someones.”

Having recently passed away, Helen is remembered by her husband, children and many others for her lifelong commitment to serving others in everything she did.

Born in Fairmont to Walter and Emma Borchardt, Helen briefly lived on a farm near Welcome before her family moved to Fairmont, where her father owned a gas station at the corner of Fourth Street and North North Avenue.

“She has always considered Fairmont to be her life,” said Helen’s son, Scott.

As one of her many activities, Helen wrote her own book about growing up in Fairmont. In it, she recalls swimming at Sylvania Park, buying treats at Fossum’s Corner Grocery, taking piano at an early age and many other activities. In her teenage years, she enjoyed participating in band at the high school, baby-sitting and working at the A&W drive-in, where she eventually met her future husband, Richard “Dick” Gould.

Helen and Richard had three children: Mark, Scott and Tari, and enjoyed 62 years of marriage. During that time, Helen never slowed down. In addition to working briefly at the Red Owl grocery store and then for 48 years for Krahmer Law Firm/ Professional Tax Advisors, she kept busy in a variety of ways, and made family and people her top priority.

“She did a lot of baby-sitting and she worked at the A&W root beer stand,” Dick remembered. “People could tell her their order, and she could remember them without writing them down.”

“My mother was a rock to the city, county and state,” Scott said. “She was faithful to the local businesses, churches, schools and people. I consider her as a person who took on so many thankless leadership positions that either paid nothing or next to nothing, just to make this community a better place. It started with the church, and then grade schools, PTA and the American Cancer Society.”

Helen loved children and showed it by teaching them in Sunday school; Vacation Bible School; offering piano and accordion lessons; and serving as a Cub Scout den mother and Junior Achievement leader.

Faith also played an important role in her life, and she served in many capacities at Grace Lutheran including Chancel Choir, LWML, Circle, Luther League adviser and intern committee.

Helen also served on the Fairmont School Board for 26 years after her children all graduated, and was treasurer of Partners In Education for more than 25 years.

In addition, she was chairwoman of Martin County Republicans. It was in this capacity that she would meet and make close friends with the recently deceased George H.W. and Barbara Bush.

“President Bush invited her to his inauguration,” Scott noted. “He spoke about her in his acceptance speech and said, ‘If we had more people like Helen Gould, this would be a better world to live in. Her contributions to our country, her state, her county, have been phenomenal.’

“We got handwritten Christmas cards every year from them, not just the form letters, and that was just a special bond.”

At Fairmont Area Schools, Scott says his mother cared about everybody, from the administration to teachers, taxpayers, vocational programs, traditional academics, advanced students, band, choir, orchestra and sports.

“Mom had the gift to reason and to be a friend of all extreme differences in politics, religion, diets, fitness fanatics, cultures, and loved people, seeing a better future for all,” he said. “She was a 24-hour mom who always loved, nurtured, participated and cheered.”

Helen and her husband were avid Cardinal and Martins fans and could be found in the stands supporting sports, concerts and plays performed by Fairmont students.

“I don’t think there has been one Fairmont fan who has cheered for more Cardinals games from 1955 to 2018 than my mother,” Scott said. “They went to everything.”

While a list of Helen’s accomplishments and community involvement could go on much longer than space allows, her greatest testimony seems to be the fond memories of love and support that she left to her husband and children.

“I think one of the gifts she taught me about working in volunteer groups was that she would graciously accept whatever was contributed,” Tari said. “If someone was willing to give an hour and do a minor task or someone was willing to do a lot, she realized everybody had a different level of giving and made them all feel important and appreciated what they were willing to do. She made everything look so easy and she just did it without complaining or looking for attention; she just did it because that’s what was in her heart.”

“In the first 20 years of our family, she really didn’t have anything that she did for herself,” Scott said.

In summarizing a well-lived life, a comment from Tari’s oldest daughter when thinking about her grandmother seems the most apropos: “There’s no limit to what you can get done in a day.”

A visitation for Helen will be held from 3-6 p.m. today at Lakeview Funeral Home in Fairmont, with a time of sharing memories and special stories beginning at 6 p.m. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Dec. 27 at Grace Lutheran Church in Fairmont.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

Starting at $4.65/week.

Subscribe Today